Caspase-3 (also know as CPP32, Yama and apopain) is a major member of the caspase-family of cysteine proteases. Caspase-3 exists in cells as an inactive 32 kDa proenzyme. During apoptosis procaspase-3 is processed at aspartate residues by self-proteolysis and/or cleavage by upstream caspases, such as caspase-6 (Mch2), caspase-8 (Flice) and grazyme B.
The processed form of caspase-3 consists of large (17 kD) and small (11 kD) subunits which associate to form the active enzyme. The active caspase-3 has been shown involving in the proteolysis of several important molecules, such as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), the sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs), focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and others. The recombinant active human caspase-3 expressed in E. coli spontaneously undergoes autoprocessing to yield subunits characteristic of the native enzyme.
Alternative names: Active mouse caspase-3, caspase-3 enzyme, caspase-3, mouse caspase-3, mouse caspases, active caspases, caspase-3 assay positive control.