Catalysis of the hydrolysis of internal, alpha-peptide bonds in a polypeptide chain by a mechanism in which the sulfhydryl group of a cysteine residue at the active center acts as a nucleophile, and contributing to the apoptotic signaling pathway.
Comment:
Examples of gene products that may be annotated to this term include CASP2, CASP8, CASP9, and CASP10, also called initiator (or apical, or activator) caspases.
Synonyms:
exact_synonym:
cysteine-type endopeptidase activity involved in apoptotic signalling pathway