Characterization of seven murine caspase family members.
Seven members of the murine caspase (mCASP) family were cloned and functionally characterized by transient overexpression: mCASP-1 (mICE), mCASP-2 (Ich1), mCASP-3 (CPP32), mCASP-6 (Mch2), mCASP-7 (Mch3), mCASP-11 (TX) and mCASP-12. mCASP-11 is presumably the murine homolog of human CASP-4. Although mCASP-12 is related to human CASP-5 (ICErel-III), it is most probably a new CASP-1 family member. On the basis of sequence homology, the caspases can be divided into three subfamilies: first, mCASP-1, mCASP-11 and mCASP-12; second, mCASP-2; third, mCASP-3, mCASP-6 and mCASP-7. The tissue distribution of the CASP-1 subfamily transcripts is more restricted than that of the CASP-3 subfamily transcripts, suggesting that the transcriptional regulation of the CASP members within one subfamily is related, but is quite different between the CASP-1 and the CASP-3 subfamilies. Transient overexpression of each of the seven CASPs induced apoptosis in mammalian cells. Only two, mCASP-1 as well as mCASP-3, were able to process precursor interleukin (IL)-1beta to biologically active IL-1beta. In addition, mCASP-3 is the predominant PARP-cleaving enzyme in vivo.
Van de Craen
M
M
Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology and University of Ghent, Belgium.
Vandenabeele
P
P
Declercq
W
W
Van den Brande
I
I
Van Loo
G
G
Molemans
F
F
Schotte
P
P
Van Criekinge
W
W
Beyaert
R
R
Fiers
W
W
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D020170:Caspase 1; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D007375:Interleukin-1; D011498:Protein Precursors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C043830:interleukin 1 precursor; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D020170:Caspase 1