MECHANISM-BASED INACTIVATION OF PROSTATIC ACID-PHOSPHATASE

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