Mechanism-based inactivation of prostatic acid phosphatase

Protein phosphatases play important roles in the regulation of cell growth and metabolism, yet little is known about their enzymatic mechanism. By extrapolation from data on inhibitors of other types of hydrolases, an inhibitor of prostatic acid phosphatase was designed that is likely to function as a mechanism-based phosphotyrosine phosphatase inactivator. This molecule, 4-(fluoromethyl)phenyl phosphate, represents a useful paradigm for the design of potent and specific phosphatase inhibitors.