C. Faucheu et al., A NOVEL HUMAN PROTEASE SIMILAR TO THE INTERLEUKIN-1-BETA CONVERTING-ENZYME INDUCES APOPTOSIS IN TRANSFECTED CELLS, EMBO journal, 14(9), 1995, pp. 1914-1922
We have identified a novel cDNA encoding a protein (named TX) with >50
% overall sequence identity with the interleukin-1 beta converting enz
yme (ICE) and similar to 30 % sequence identity with the ICE homologs
NEDD-2/ ICH-1(L) and CED-3. A computer homology model of TX was constr
ucted based on the X-ray coordinates of the ICE crystal recently publi
shed. This model suggests that TX is a cysteine protease, with the P1
aspartic acid substrate specificity retained. Transfection experiments
demonstrate that TX is a protease which is able to cleave itself and
the p30 ICE precursor, but not to generate mature IL-1 beta from pro-I
L-1 beta. In addition, this protein induces apoptosis in transfected C
OS cells. TX therefore delineates a new member of the growing Ice/ced-
3 gene family coding for proteases with cytokine processing activity o
r involved in programmed cell death.