The vacuolar phosphatases PAP26 and HIIA2.1 hydrolyze 5'-, 3'-, and 2'-nucleotides derived from RNA degradation.

The vacuole is an important site for RNA degradation. Autophagy delivers RNA to the vacuole, where the vacuolar T2 RNase Ribonuclease 2 (RNS2) plays a major role in RNA catabolism. The presumed products of RNS2 activity are 3'-nucleoside monophosphates (3'-NMPs).