Arylsulfatase K (ARSK)

Sulfatases (EC 3.1.5.6), such as ARSK, hydrolyze sulfate esters from sulfated steroids, carbohydrates, proteoglycans, and glycolipids. They are involved in hormone biosynthesis, modulation of cell signaling, and degradation of macromolecules .By searching databases for novel sulfatase genes, Sardiello et al. (2005) and Obaya (2006) identified ARSK. They determined that all human sulfatases, including ARSK, have 9 regions of strong evolutionary conservation, most of which contain residues involved in the sulfatase hydrolysis reaction.Western blot analysis of HeLa cells expressing epitope-tagged ARSK detected the protein only in the particulate fraction, suggesting ARSK associates with cellular organelles or membrane structures.