Serine/threonine phosphatases gene family

Most genes in the serine/threonine phosphatases family provide instructions for making proteins called phosphatases. Phosphatases remove a phosphate group, which is a cluster of one phosphorus and three oxygen atoms, from other proteins. Other genes in this family provide instructions for making proteins that help regulate the phosphatases. These regulatory proteins are usually part of a group of proteins (a complex) that includes a phosphatase.

Phosphatases in this family remove phosphate groups from the amino acids serine and threonine, which are two of the building blocks used to make proteins. The removal of phosphate groups (dephosphorylation) from serine or threonine helps regulate the activity of proteins by changing the electrical charge or the shape of the protein, which affects its activity and how it interacts with other proteins.

Serine/threonine phosphatases regulate many cellular processes, such as the repair of damaged DNA, the production of energy for cells, cell growth and division (proliferation), and cell death. Because of their roles in diverse processes, these proteins influence many body functions, including early development before birth, learning, and memory. Mutations in the serine/threonine phosphatases gene family can result in the development of neurological problems, developmental abnormalities that are present at birth, and cancers, among other conditions.