This gene encodes a protein which is a member of the cysteine-aspartic acid protease (caspase) family. Sequential activation of caspases plays a central role in the execution-phase of cell apoptosis. Caspases exist as inactive proenzymes which undergo proteolytic processing at conserved aspartic residues to produce two subunits, large and small, that dimerize to form the active enzyme. This protein cleaves and activates caspases 6, 7 and 9, and the protein itself is processed by caspases 8, 9 and 10. It is the predominant caspase involved in the cleavage of amyloid-beta 4A precursor protein, which is associated with neuronal death in Alzheimer's disease. Alternative splicing of this gene results in two transcript variants that encode the same protein. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

CASP3: Involved in the activation cascade of caspases responsible for apoptosis execution. At the onset of apoptosis it proteolytically cleaves poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) at a '216-Asp-|-Gly-217' bond. Cleaves and activates sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) between the basic helix-loop- helix leucine zipper domain and the membrane attachment domain. Cleaves and activates caspase-6, -7 and -9. Involved in the cleavage of huntingtin. Triggers cell adhesion in sympathetic neurons through RET cleavage. Heterotetramer that consists of two anti-parallel arranged heterodimers, each one formed by a 17 kDa (p17) and a 12 kDa (p12) subunit. Interacts with BIRC6/bruce. Highly expressed in lung, spleen, heart, liver and kidney. Moderate levels in brain and skeletal muscle, and low in testis. Also found in many cell lines, highest expression in cells of the immune system. Inhibited by isatin sulfonamides. Belongs to the peptidase C14A family.

Protein type: Protease; EC 3.4.22.56; Apoptosis; Motility/polarity/chemotaxis

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 4q34

Cellular Component: nucleoplasm; plasma membrane; nucleus; cytosol

Molecular Function: cyclin-dependent protein kinase inhibitor activity; peptidase activity; protein binding; cysteine-type endopeptidase activity; aspartic-type endopeptidase activity

Biological Process: extracellular matrix organization and biogenesis; nerve growth factor receptor signaling pathway; apoptosis; positive regulation of apoptosis; heart development; negative regulation of activated T cell proliferation; negative regulation of B cell proliferation; proteolysis; regulation of caspase activity; neuron differentiation; extracellular matrix disassembly; sensory perception of sound; B cell homeostasis; positive regulation of neuron apoptosis; response to wounding; erythrocyte differentiation; T cell homeostasis; DNA fragmentation during apoptosis; response to UV; cell structure disassembly during apoptosis; release of cytochrome c from mitochondria; cell fate commitment; negative regulation of cyclin-dependent protein kinase activity; keratinocyte differentiation; neuron apoptosis; induction of apoptosis via death domain receptors; caspase activation via cytochrome c; platelet formation; response to DNA damage stimulus; induction of apoptosis by oxidative stress; negative regulation of apoptosis