Caspase-7 is an effector caspase with important roles in mediating cell death signaling. As an effector caspase, caspase-7 is cleaved and activated by initiator caspases such as caspase-1 (1). Like other caspase family proteins, caspase-7 contains a catalytic cysteine residue in its active site. This allows caspase-7 to cleave various substrates, such as PARP, to aid in the degradation and destruction of the cell (2).
