Table 1 Caspase specificity and DEVD cleavage summary.
Caspase | Cleaves DEVD | Preferred Motif | Function / Role |
|---|---|---|---|
Caspase-1 | − | WEHD, YVHD, FESD | Inflammatory (IL-1β activation) |
Caspase-2 | + | VDVAD, XDEVD | Apoptotic / stress response |
Caspase-3 | +++ | DEVD | Executioner (apoptosis) |
Caspase-4 | − | LEVD, WEHD-like | Inflammatory (LPS sensing) |
Caspase-5 | − | LEVD, WEHD-like | Inflammatory (LPS sensing) |
Caspase-6 | ++ | VQVD,VEVD | Executioner (apoptosis, neurodegeneration) |
Caspase-7 | +++ | DEVD | Executioner (apoptosis) |
Caspase-8 | ++ | LETD, XEXD | Initiator (extrinsic pathway) |
Caspase-9 | + | LEHD, WEHD | Initiator (intrinsic pathway) |
Caspase-10 | + | LEHD | Initiator (extrinsic pathway, similar to CASP8) |
Caspase-11 | − | WEHD-like | Inflammatory (non-canonical inflammasome in mice) |
Caspase-12 | − | Unclear | Controversial (mainly in rodents) |
Caspase-13 | n.a. | n.a. | Not in humans (bovine caspase) |
Caspase-14 | − | VEHD, VSQD/HSED | Skin differentiation (not apoptotic) |
