Abstract
We have cloned the C. elegans cell death gene ced-3. A ced-3 transcript is most abundant during embryogenesis, the stage during which most programmed cell deaths occur. The predicted CED-3 protein shows similarity to human and murine interleukin-1 beta-converting enzyme and to the product of the mouse nedd-2 gene, which is expressed in the embryonic brain. The sequences of 12 ced-3 mutations as well as the sequences of ced-3 genes from two related nematode species identify sites of potential functional importance. We propose that the CED-3 protein acts as a cysteine protease in the initiation of programmed cell death in C. elegans and that cysteine proteases also function in programmed cell death in mammals.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Base Sequence
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Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology
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Caenorhabditis elegans / enzymology
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Caspase 1
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Caspases*
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Cell Death*
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Cloning, Molecular
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Cysteine Endopeptidases / genetics
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DNA, Complementary / genetics
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Gene Expression
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Genes, Helminth*
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Helminth Proteins / genetics*
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Helminth Proteins / metabolism
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Metalloendopeptidases / metabolism
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Point Mutation
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RNA, Messenger / genetics
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Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
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Restriction Mapping
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
Substances
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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DNA, Complementary
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Helminth Proteins
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RNA, Messenger
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Caspases
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Cysteine Endopeptidases
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ced-3 protein, C elegans
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Caspase 1
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Metalloendopeptidases
Associated data
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GENBANK/L20888
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GENBANK/L20889
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GENBANK/L22499
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GENBANK/L26083
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GENBANK/L29052
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GENBANK/L33709
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GENBANK/S60904
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GENBANK/S60905
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GENBANK/S60924
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GENBANK/U00968