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Caspase, interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme (ICE) homologues; Cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed proteases that mediate programmed cell death (apoptosis). Caspases are synthesized as inactive zymogens and activated by proteolysis of the peptide backbone adjacent to an aspartate. The resulting two subunits associate to form an (alpha)2(beta)2-tetramer which is the active enzyme. Activation of caspases can be mediated by other caspase homologs.
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