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Caspase (CASP) are cysteine-aspartic proteases which function in apoptosis, necrosis and inflammation. Twelve CASP have been identified in human. CASP is synthesized as an inactive pro-CASP with a prodomain which is being cleaved off to render them active. The X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) with its baculoviral IAP repeat (BIR) domain is an inhibitor of CASP.

  • CASP-1 (or Interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme, ICE) cleaves precursor cytokine interleukin 1-β and interleukin 18 into mature protein.
  • CASP-3 interacts with CASP-8 and CASP-9 during cell apoptosis.
  • CASP-7 is a heterodimer consisting of P20 (human residues 1-198) and P11 (human residues 199-303) subunits. CASP-7 catalytic domain consists of residues 57-303. is an important initiator CASP and drICE is an effector of apoptosis CASP in Drosophila melanogaster.
  • Metacaspase (MCASP) are arginine/lysine specific CASP. MCASP are found in plants and fungi.

For some details see:
CASP-1 - Human Caspase-1
CASP-3 - Sandox Bay Serrano;

CASP-6 - Molecular Playground/Caspase-6 (new);

CASP-7 - Molecular Playground/Caspase-7 Dynamics

CASP-9 - Molecular Playground/Caspase-9 Regulation.

3D structures of caspase3D structures of caspase

Updated on 11-March-2015

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Michal Harel, Alexander Berchansky