This old version of Proteopedia is provided for student assignments while the new version is undergoing repairs. Content and edits done in this old version of Proteopedia after March 1, 2026 will eventually be lost when it is retired in about June of 2026.
Apply for new accounts at the new Proteopedia. Your logins will work in both the old and new versions.
Caspase
From Proteopedia
Template:STRUCTURE 1pyo
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. See Human Caspase-1
- CASP-3 or (Apopain; Cysteine protease CPP32) interacts with CASP-8 and CASP-9 during cell apoptosis. See Sandox Bay Serrano and Caspase-3 Regulatory Mechanisms
- 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. See Molecular Playground/Caspase-7 Dynamics and Molecular Playground/Executioner Caspase-7
- Metacaspase (MCASP) are arginine/lysine specific CASP. MCASP are found in plants and fungi.
For some details see also:
CASP-6 - Molecular Playground/Caspase-6 (new);
CASP-9 - Molecular Playground/Caspase-9 Regulation.
3D structures of caspase
Updated on 19-November-2015
