The identification and characterization of two phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 4-phosphatases

Numerous inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatases catalyze the degradation of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns-4,5-P(2)) to phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PtdIns-4-P). An alternative pathway to degrade PtdIns-4,5-P(2) is the hydrolysis of PtdIns-4,5-P(2) by a 4-phosphatase, leading to the production of PtdIns-5-P. Whereas the Bacterial IpgD Enzyme is known to catalyze this reaction, no such mammalian Enzyme has been found. We have identified and characterized two previously undescribed human Enzymes, PtdIns-4,5-P(2) 4-phosphatase type I and type II, which catalyze the hydrolysis of PtdIns-4,5-P(2) to phosphatidylinositol-5-phosphate (PtdIns-5-P). Both Enzymes are ubiquitously expressed and localize to late endosomal/lysosomal membranes in epithelial cells. Overexpression of either Enzyme in HeLa cells increases EGF-receptor degradation upon EGF stimulation.