Myxococcus xanthus MXAN_0575, ArsA, exhibited sequence homology to low-molecular-weight protein tyrosine phosphatases (LMWPTPs) and arsenate reductases. ArsA exhibited weak phosphatase activity toward p-nitrophenyl phosphate, and high arsenate reductase activity, suggesting that ArsA may play a role in arsenate reductase, but not LMWPTP. (C) 2013, The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.