Analysis of CASP8 Gene (Mutation) by RT-qPCR (CAT#: STEM-MT-1506-LGZ)

Introduction

Official Full Name: caspase 8
Also known as: CAP4; MACH; MCH5; FLICE; ALPS2B; Casp-8
This gene encodes a member of the cysteine-aspartic acid protease (caspase) family. Sequential activation of caspases plays a central role in the execution phase of apoptosis. Caspases are inactive proenzymes consisting of a prodomain, a large protease subunit, and a small protease subunit. Caspase activation requires proteolytic processing at conserved internal aspartic acid residues to generate heterodimeric enzymes composed of large and small subunits. This protein is involved in programmed cell death induced by Fas and various apoptotic stimuli. The N-terminal FADD-like death effector domain of this protein suggests that it may interact with the fas-interacting protein FADD. The protein was detected in insoluble fractions of affected brain regions in Huntington's disease patients but not in normal controls, suggesting a role in neurodegenerative disorders. A number of alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been described, although not all have their full-length sequences determined.