Casp2
Developmental stage
During embryonic development is highly expressed in several types of mouse tissue undergoing high rates of programmed cell death such as central nervous system and kidney.
Domain
The CARD domain mediates a direct interaction with CRADD.
Function
Involved in the activation cascade of caspases responsible for apoptosis execution. Might function by either activating some proteins required for cell death or inactivating proteins necessary for cell survival (PubMed:7958843). Associates with PIDD1 and CRADD to form the PIDDosome, a complex that activates CASP2 and triggers apoptosis in response to genotoxic stress (By similarity).
Post-translational modifications
The mature protease can process its own propeptide, but not that of other caspases.
Sequence Similarities
Belongs to the peptidase C14A family.
Tissue Specificity
High level expression seen in the embryonic CNS, liver, lung, kidney, small intestine, and hair follicles of vibrissae. Moderate expression seen in the skin, oral mucosa, skeletal muscle, submandibular gland and thymus. In the adult, it is highly expressed in spleen, lung and kidney. Moderately in the brain, heart, testis, liver. Low levels in the thymus, skeletal muscle, ovary and gut.
Alternative names
Ich1, Nedd-2, Nedd2, Casp2, Caspase-2, CASP-2, Neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down-regulated protein 2, Protease ICH-1, NEDD-2