Active Human Caspases Group I, Active Human

The caspase family consists of more than 10 members. Based on their extended substrate specificities, these enzymes were divided into three major groups: Group I (contains caspase-1,-4,-5), Group II (contains caspase-2,-3,-7), and Group III (contains caspase-6,-8,-9,-10). Evidences have suggested that Group I caspases are involved primarily in the production of inflammatory cytokines, while group II and III enzymes function in apoptosis as effectors and upstream activators, respectively. The group I caspases were expressed in E. coli and routinely tested for their ability to enzymatically cleave the substrate YVAD-pNA (for caspase-1) and WEHD-pNA (for caspase-4 & -5).