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Metacaspases versus caspases in development and cell fate regulation

E A Minina1, N S Coll2, H Tuominen3

  • 1Department of Molecular Sciences, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala, Sweden.

Cell Death and Differentiation
|February 25, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Caspases regulate animal signaling, but related metacaspases, found in all eukaryotes except animals, have distinct functions. This study compares their evolution and roles, focusing on plant versus animal development.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Caspases are key animal enzymes in inflammation and apoptosis, regulating diverse signaling pathways.
  • Caspases are part of the broader C14 family of cysteine proteases, present across all life kingdoms.
  • Metacaspases, structurally related to caspases, are found in all eukaryotes except animals, suggesting distinct evolutionary adaptations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the biochemical properties and biological functions of metacaspases and caspases.
  • To investigate the evolutionary divergence of caspase-mediated processes.
  • To focus on the differential regulation of developmental aspects in plants and animals by these proteases.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of biochemical properties.
  • Functional analysis of metacaspases and caspases in vivo.
  • Evolutionary trajectory assessment of cysteine protease families.

Main Results:

  • Metacaspases and caspases exhibit significant variations in biochemistry and in vivo function.
  • Metacaspases are absent in animals, while present in all other eukaryotic lineages.
  • Distinct cellular and physiological settings likely shaped the adaptation of metacaspases and caspases.

Conclusions:

  • Metacaspases and caspases represent distinct evolutionary branches of cysteine proteases with specialized roles.
  • Understanding metacaspase functions offers insights into non-animal biological processes and evolution.
  • Comparative studies highlight the diverse roles of these proteases in regulating development across kingdoms.

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