This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically the class of phosphorus-oxygen lyases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is 6-(α-D-glucosaminyl)-1-phosphatidyl-1D-myo-inositol 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol-lyase [6-(α-D-glucosaminyl)-1D-myo-inositol 1,2-cyclic phosphate-forming]. Other names in common use include (glycosyl)phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, GPI-PLC, GPI-specific phospholipase C, VSG-lipase, glycosyl inositol phospholipid anchor-hydrolyzing enzyme, glycosylphosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C, glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, variant-surface-glycoprotein phospholipase C, 6-(α-D-glucosaminyl)-1-phosphatidyl-1D-myo-inositol, and diacylglycerol-lyase (1,2-cyclic-phosphate-forming).
Carnall N, Webb H, Carrington M (1997). "Mutagenesis study of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol phospholipase C of Trypanosoma brucei". Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 90 (2): 423–32. doi:10.1016/S0166-6851(97)00177-1. PMID9476790.