title: Caspase-2 protocols.
abstract: Caspase-2 has been shown to function in apoptosis and in some non-apoptotic pathways, including tumor suppression and aging. Caspase-2 has some unique features and is the only caspase that constitutively localizes to the nucleus, although its nuclear function remains unknown. During apoptosis signaling, caspase-2 rapidly homodimerizes, which leads to its activation and proteolytic processing. The activation of caspase-2 can be measured by assessing its dimerization and/or cleavage of the caspase-2 zymogen and its substrates. This chapter outlines commonly used methods to purify recombinant caspase-2 and assess its activity and function in vitro and in cultured cells or tissue extracts.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Loretta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dorstyn
authors.forename: Sharad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D053143:Caspase 2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002460:Cell Line; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C490360:CASP2 protein, human; D053143:Caspase 2; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases