Sperm flagellar movements are regulated by cAMP-dependent protein phosphorylation. Tctex2-related light chain of outer arm dynein is a well-defined phosphorylated protein that is phosphorylated at activation of sperm motility. Here, the protein phosphatase that dephosphorylates Tetex2-related dynein light chain (LC2) has been characterized in salmonid fish sperm. Most of the phosphatase activity against LC2 is found in Triton-soluble fraction of flagella but trace extent of the activity is retained in the axoneme. The dephosphorylation of LC2 is inhibited by okadaic acid at more than 1 nM, whereas that of dynein alpha heavy chain is inhibited at more than 10 nM. The addition of Ca2+ gives no direct effect on LC2 dephosphorylation, but it accelerates the dephosphorylation of the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, resulting in the decrease of LC2 phosphorylation. The activity to dephosphorylate the LC2 is separated by MonoQ ion-exchange column chromatography along with the immunoreactivity to the antibody against the catalytic subunit of type 2A protein phosphatase. These results suggest that LC2 is dephosphorylated by type 2A protein phosphatase and that dynein alpha heavy chain and the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase are dephosphorylated by other types of protein phosphatases. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.