AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Caspases, a unique family of cysteine proteases, execute programmed cell death (apoptosis). Caspases exist as inactive zymogens in cells and undergo a cascade of catalytic activation at the onset of apoptosis. The activated caspases are subject to inhibition by the inhibitor-of-apoptosis (IAP) family of proteins.

Detailed explanation-2: -Proteolytic cleavage of a limited number of cellular proteins is a central biochemical feature of apoptosis. Aspartate-specific cysteine proteases, the so-called ‘caspases’, are the main enzymes involved in this process.

Detailed explanation-3: -Caspases are normally present in the cell as proenzymes that require limited proteolysis for activation of enzymatic activity.

Detailed explanation-4: -What are Caspases? Caspases, also as cysteine-aspartic proteases, cysteine aspartases or cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed proteases, are a family of protease enzymes that provide critical links in cell regulatory networks controlling inflammation and cell death.