Characterization of a mammalian cell death gene Nedd2

Through subtraction cloning approach, we have identified a set of mouse genes with developmentally down-regulated expression in brain. One such gene, termed Nedd2, was found to encode protein similar to the mammalian interleukin-1b-converting enzyme (ICE) and the product of the nematode (C. elegans) cell death gene ced-3. Our data suggest that Nedd2 is an important component of the mammalian programmed cell death machinery.