Mch3, a novel apoptotic cysteine protease highly related to CPP32 (original) (raw)

Cancer Research

Abstract

Recent evidence suggests that mammalian cysteine proteases related to Caenorhabditis elegans CED-3 are key components of mammalian programmed cell death or apoptosis. We have shown recently that the CPP32 and Mch2 alpha cysteine proteases cleave the apoptotic markers poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and lamins, respectively. Here we report the cloning of a new Ced-3/interleukin 1 beta-converting enzyme-related gene, designated Mch3, that encodes a protein with the highest degree of homology to CPP32 compared to other family members. An alternatively spliced isoform, named Mch3 beta, was also identified. Bacterially expressed recombinant Mch3 has intrinsic autocatalytic/autoactivation activity. The specific activity of Mch3 alpha toward the peptide substrate DEVD-7-amino-4-methylcoumarin and PARP resembles that of CPP32. Like interleukin 1 beta-converting enzyme and CPP32, the active Mch3 alpha is made of two subunits derived from a precursor (proMch3 alpha). It was of interest tha...

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