Recent Advance in the Study of Caspase-like Proteases Involved in Plant Programmed Cell Death

Caspases are known to play a key role in initiating,executing and signal transduction of animal programmed cell death(PCD).The investigations performed over recent few years have proved the existence of caspase-like proteases(CLPs) in plants.Three groups of caspase-like proteases:vacuolar processing enzymes(VPEs),metacaspases and saspases have been identified in plants so far.A considerable amount of evidence supports the role of these enzymes in plant development,disease resistance and environmental stress induced programmed cell death.In the paper,we reviewed the research progress of CLPs activity,biochemical structure and physiological function.The homology of CLPs to animal caspases is also indicated.The regulation of activity and mode of action as well as role of these proteases in plant programmed cell death are future perspectives of research.