Function
Acts as a cysteine protease in controlling programmed cell death (apoptosis) by proteolytically activating or inactivating a wide range of substrates (PubMed:8654923, PubMed:3955651, PubMed:18722182, PubMed:26074078, PubMed:27723735). Component of the egl-1, ced-9, ced-4 and ced-3 apoptotic signaling cascade required for the initiation of programmed cell death in cells fated to die during embryonic and postembryonic development (PubMed:3955651, PubMed:17329362, PubMed:25432023, PubMed:27723735). During oogenesis, required for germline apoptosis downstream of ced-9 and ced-4 but independently of egl-1 (PubMed:9927601). By cleaving and activating ced-8, promotes phosphatidylserine exposure on the surface of apoptotic cells; phosphatidylserine is a specific marker only present at the surface of apoptotic cells and acts as a specific signal for engulfment (PubMed:24225442). By cleaving and converting dcr-1 into a deoxyribonuclease (DNase), promotes apoptotic chromosomal DNA fragmentation (PubMed:20223951). By cleaving mitochondrial fission protein drp-1, may regulate the removal of mitochondria during apoptosis (PubMed:18722182). During germline apoptosis, cleaves translation initiation factor ifg-1 (isoform p170) promoting cap-independent translation (PubMed:21909434). During male tail morphogenesis, promotes apoptosis of the tail-spike cell downstream of ced-4 but independently of egl-1 and ced-9 (PubMed:17329362). By cleaving cnt-1, prevents the activation of the prosurvival akt-1/2 signaling pathway and thus promotes apoptosis (PubMed:25383666). Downstream of ced-4, may play a role in sex-specific cell apoptosis by cleaving sex-determining protein fem-1 (PubMed:10764728). May regulate germline apoptosis in response to DNA damage, probably downstream of let-60/ras and mpk-1 pathway (PubMed:21901106). Cleaves ced-9 in vitro (PubMed:17371877, PubMed:18776901, PubMed:19575016, PubMed:25432023, PubMed:27723735). Cleaves csp-2 isoform b resulting in the removal of the propeptide and the generation of csp-2 subunit p31 in vitro (PubMed:9857046). Independently of its apoptotic role has additional functions. Probably by cleaving and thereby activating actin-severing protein gsnl-1, required for the elimination of transient presynaptic components during larval development downstream of egl-1, ced-9 and ced-4 pathway (PubMed:26074078). Together with ain-1, a component of the miRNA-induced-silencing complex (miRISC), regulates temporal cell fate patterning during larval development (PubMed:25432023). In complex with ubr-1, which is E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase and component of the N-end rule pathway, acts in seam cell fate patterning during larval development by cleaving the heterochronic protein lin-28, and promoting its degradation (PubMed:25432023, PubMed:28602583). Also cleaves heterochronic protein lin-14 and exonuclease disl-2 in vitro (PubMed:25432023). Downstream of calreticulin crt-1 and ced-4 and independently of egl-1 and ced-9, plays a role in the initial steps of axonal regrowth following axotomy (PubMed:22629231). Cleaves 14-3-3-like protein ftt-2, tubulin tbb-2 and calrecticulin crt-1 in vitro (PubMed:17371877). Plays also a role in resistance to S.typhimurium-mediated infection (PubMed:11226309).
Sequence
MMRQDRRSLLERNIMMFSSHLKVDEILEVLIAKQVLNSDNGDMINSCGTVREKRREIVKAVQRRGDVAFDAFYDALRSTGHEGLAEVLEPLARSVDSNAVEFECPMSPASHRRSRALSPAGYTSPTRVHRDSVSSVSSFTSYQDIYSRARSRSRSRALHSSDRHNYSSPPVNAFPSQPSSANSSFTGCSSLGYSSSRNRSFSKASGPTQYIFHEEDMNFVDAPTISRVFDEKTMYRNFSSPRGMCLIINNEHFEQMPTRNGTKADKDNLTNLFRCMGYTVICKDNLTGRGMLLTIRDFAKHESHGDSAILVILSHGEENVIIGVDDIPISTHEIYDLLNAANAPRLANKPKIVFVQACRGERRDNGFPVLDSVDGVPAFLRRGWDNRDGPLFNFLGCVRPQVQQVWRKKPSQADILIAYATTAQYVSWRNSARGSWFIQAVCEVFSTHAKDMDVVELLTEVNKKVACGFQTSQGSNILKQMPEMTSRLLKKFYFWPEARNSAV