Caspase-7 (CASP7) Active Protein

This gene encodes a member of the cysteine-aspartic acid protease (caspase) family. Sequential activation of caspases plays a central role in the execution-phase of cell apoptosis. Caspases exist as inactive proenzymes which undergo proteolytic processing at conserved aspartic residues to produce two subunits, large and small, that dimerize to form the active enzyme. The precursor of the encoded protein is cleaved by caspase 3 and 10, is activated upon cell death stimuli and induces apoptosis. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding multiple isoforms have been observed for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, May 2012]

CASP7: Involved in the activation cascade of caspases responsible for apoptosis execution. Cleaves and activates sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs). Proteolytically cleaves poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) at a '216-Asp-|-Gly- 217' bond. Overexpression promotes programmed cell death. Heterotetramer that consists of two anti-parallel arranged heterodimers, each one formed by a 20 kDa (p20) and a 11 kDa (p11) subunit. Interacts with BIRC6/bruce. Highly expressed in lung, skeletal muscle, liver, kidney, spleen and heart, and moderately in testis. No expression in the brain. Inhibited by isatin sulfonamides. Belongs to the peptidase C14A family. 3 isoforms of the human protein are produced by alternative splicing.

Protein type: EC 3.4.22.60; Endoplasmic reticulum; Protease; Mitochondrial; Apoptosis

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 10q25

Cellular Component: nucleoplasm; cytoplasm; nucleus; cytosol

Molecular Function: protein binding; cysteine-type endopeptidase activity; cysteine-type peptidase activity

Biological Process: apoptosis; caspase activation via cytochrome c; proteolysis; cell structure disassembly during apoptosis