Patatin is a storage protein of the potato tuber that shows Phospholipase A2 activity (PLA2; EC 3.1.1.4). Patatin catalyzes the nonspecific hydrolysis of phospholipids, glycolipids, sulfolipids, and mono- and diacylglycerols, thereby showing lipid acyl hydrolase activity. The active site includes an oxyanion hole with a conserved GGxR motif; it is found in almost all the members of this family. The catalytic dyad is formed by a serine and an aspartate. Patatin belongs to the alpha-beta hydrolase family which is identified by a characteristic nucleophile elbow with a consensus sequence of Sm-X-Nu-Sm (Sm = small residue, X = any residue and Nu = nucleophile). Members of this family have been found also in vertebrates. This family includes subfamily of PNPLA8 (iPLA2-gamma) and PNPLA9 (iPLA2-beta) like phospholipases from human as well as the Pat17 isozyme from Solanum cardiophyllum.