Caspase-9 (CASP9) Assay Kit

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. This protein can undergo autoproteolytic processing and activation by the apoptosome, a protein complex of cytochrome c and the apoptotic peptidase activating factor 1; this step is thought to be one of the earliest in the caspase activation cascade. This protein is thought to play a central role in apoptosis and to be a tumor suppressor. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, May 2013]

CASP9: 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 2 subunits, large and small, that dimerize to form the active enzyme. This protein is processed by caspase APAF1; this step is thought to be one of the earliest in the caspase activation cascade. Alternative splicing results in two isoforms.

Protein type: Apoptosis; EC 3.4.22.62; Protease

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 1p36.21

Cellular Component: mitochondrion; nucleus; cytosol; apoptosome

Molecular Function: peptidase activity; protein binding; cysteine-type endopeptidase activity; enzyme activator activity; SH3 domain binding; protein kinase binding

Biological Process: epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway; phosphoinositide-mediated signaling; fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling pathway; nerve growth factor receptor signaling pathway; apoptosis; positive regulation of apoptosis; DNA damage response, signal transduction; response to lipopolysaccharide; proteolysis; response to estradiol stimulus; response to antibiotic; DNA damage response, signal transduction resulting in induction of apoptosis; positive regulation of neuron apoptosis; response to cobalt ion; innate immune response; caspase activation via cytochrome c; platelet formation; response to DNA damage stimulus; aging