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Caspase-2: killer, savior and safeguard—emerging versatile roles for an ill-defined caspase

Oncogene volume 28, pages 3093–3096 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Despite the early discovery of caspase-2, its physiological function has long remained an enigma. A number of recent publications now suggest not just one, but multiple functions, including roles in apoptosis, DNA repair and tumor suppression. How can one enzyme have so many talents? Considering the diversity of interaction partners and the specific mode of pro-apoptotic action proposed in these studies, caspase-2 might in fact represent a primordial protease serving numerous pathways, established before the advent of a more elaborate functionally diversified caspases system.

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Acknowledgements

The work in our laboratory is supported by fellowships and grants from the Austrian Science Fund (Y212-B13, SFB021, MCBO), EU-FP6 (ApopTrain) and the Tyrolean Science Fund (TWF). We apologize to the many scientists in this field whose excellent research was not cited but was only referred to indirectly through reviews.

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  1. Division of Developmental Immunology, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria

    G Krumschnabel, C Manzl & A Villunger

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  1. G Krumschnabel
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  2. C Manzl
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  3. A Villunger
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Correspondence to G Krumschnabel or A Villunger.

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Krumschnabel, G., Manzl, C. & Villunger, A. Caspase-2: killer, savior and safeguard—emerging versatile roles for an ill-defined caspase. Oncogene 28, 3093–3096 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/onc.2009.173

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