Dual Specificity Phosphatase 21 (DUSP21)

DUSP21 encodes a member of the dual specificity phosphatase family, specifically the low molecular weight dual specificity phosphatase family. The encoded protein localizes to both the cytoplasm and the nucleus and functions to remove phosphate groups from phosphotyrosine and phosphothreonine residues.The deduced 190-amino acid DUSP21 protein has a calculated molecular mass of 21.5 kD and contains the DUSP consensus motif and the conserved PTP signature motif and catalytic domain without the N-terminal CH2 domain. DUSP21 shares 70% and 44% amino acid identity with DUSP18 and DUSP14, respectively. Expression array and Northern blot analysis of human tissues detected DUSP21 expression in testis only. DUSP21 localized to both the nucleus and cytoplasm in transfected simian kidney cells.