p-IPP-2 Background Information Two inhibitors of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) include the phosphatase inhibitor 1 (IPP-1) and phosphatase inhibitor 2 (IPP-2) (1). IPP-2, also known as I-2, interacts with the catalytic subunit of PP1 to form the heterodimer PP1I. The PP1I complex is present in the cytosol of cells in a broad range of vertebrate and invertebrate species (2,3). Although the heterodimer itself is inactive, a reversible phosphorylation of IPP-2 at Thr 72 by glycogen-synthase-kinase (GSK3) initiates activation of the heterodimer complex in vitro (4). Phosphorylation of IPP-2 by casein kinase-II at Ser 86, Ser 120, and Ser 121 (5,6) enhances the rate of phosphorylation by GSK3 at Thr 72 and effectively activates the heterodimer complex (7). Besides moderating
PP1 activity, IPP-2 may play a role as a chaperone for the correct folding of PP1 (8). The gene for human IPP-2 maps to chromosome 6 in the major histocompatiblity complex region (9).
