Caspase-7: Products

Caspase-7, also known as CMH-1, ICE-LAP3, and Mch3, is a 32 kDa member of the peptidase C14A/IL-1 beta-converting family of enzymes. It is widely expressed, except in brain, and is best known as an executioner caspase of the apoptotic cascade. Caspase-7 cleaves multiple substrates including PARP, Pro-Caspase-6, Gas2, and Calpstatin. Pro-Caspase-7 undergoes proteolytic cleavage to generate a propeptide, a p20, and a p12 subunit. The p20 and p12 subunits noncovalently heterodimerize, and subsequently associate with another p20-p12 heterodimer to form an active antiparallel homodimer. p20 may be additionally processed to generate p18, while p12 may be additionally processed to generate p11. Caspase-7 can be cleaved by multiple proteases including Caspases-1, -3, -8, and -10, Granzyme B, Calpain-1, and Caspase-7 itself. Caspase-7 is found in both the cytosol and nucleus.