#116657 - 11/26/03 01:02 PM
etymology of "caspase"
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Pooh-Bah
Registered: 01/05/01
Posts: 1814
Loc: Spam Factory
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I am doing a presentation at work on apoptosis, a process of programmed cell death. Various enzymes and molecules are involved in the the many processes of apoptosis, but one family of enzymes that plays a central role are the caspases. I was wondering if this word has any particular etymology, although it may have none as many scientific words are, sadly, jargon devoid of etymology. I have been unable to unearth the meaning myself and I beg your assistance. TIA.
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#116658 - 11/26/03 01:33 PM
Re: etymology of "caspase"
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Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
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Dear Alex, to show my command of the obvious, most enzymes end in "-ase", so only problem is where does the 'casp-" come from. Trouble is that could be a sort of acronym for GOK (God only knows what). Nobody on the board has your background for figuring this one out. (doc_comfort hasn't posted for a long time, and wofahulicodoc surely can't find the time to read about cell biology).
Here's a URL about it, all Greek to me:
http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/cdd/journal/v8/n4/abs/4400864a.html&dynoptions=doi1069875278
Only eager beavers will want to look at the above URL, and they know how to copy and paste it into Address box
Here's another URL, maybe a few clues
http://www.sfu.ca/mbb/mbb/faculty/pio/pio.html
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#116659 - 11/26/03 04:00 PM
caspase < capsase?
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journeyman
Registered: 11/22/03
Posts: 81
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A few chemical names are arbitrary rearrangements of other names. One example is ribose < arabinose < gum arabic. (Trivia: did you know DNA and RNA are derived from the name Arab?)
As casp- isn't a Latin root perhaps caspase is from alteration of capsase, something that alters the capsid (protein coat, < capsa, a container)?
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#116661 - 11/26/03 05:52 PM
Re: caspase < capsase?
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journeyman
Registered: 11/22/03
Posts: 81
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Um, my dictionary says capsicum (> capsaicin) might be from capsa, i.e. because the pepper is in a case or capsule.
Hm, Perseus Lewis & Short doesn't list capsa -- must be Late Latin -- they have capsus (i) wagon-body or coach-body, or (ii) pen, enclosure; and capsella a small box or coffer.
I just thought the caps- idea was possible, because breaking down capsids could well be akin to whatever is needed to break up cells in apoptosis.
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#116662 - 11/26/03 10:59 PM
Re: etymology of "caspase"
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addict
Registered: 12/03/02
Posts: 555
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Alex, off the top of my head, it seems to me that Caspase could be named for the specific cleaving pattern at the Aspartate (Asp). Don't think I have read this anywhere though; just came to me as a possibility since you asked. The 'c' might be short for cytoplasmic or is it cysteine? You could check with the Biochem/Cell Biology folk. As regards etymology, I have always thought that whoever names enzymes, tries hard to make them memory-friendly. Etymologically, they invariably can be traced back to the specific biochemical reaction they catalyse. At least all the names that are rushing through my head seem to - phosphorylase, reductase, transferase, ligase, carboxylase...all have rather strong etymological clues don't they? Hope this helps.
did you know DNA and RNA are derived from the name Arab?)
Hi Jenet! First time I am hearing of this; always thought of it as a simple deoxyribonucleic acid. Do tell us more; am very curious.
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#116663 - 11/27/03 03:26 AM
Re: etymology of "caspase"
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journeyman
Registered: 11/22/03
Posts: 81
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Already given most of it: but the ribo- of words like ribonucleic is from a sugar ribose, which is said to be (if Chambers is to be trusted on this) an alteration of arabinose, which is a sugar that comes from arabin, the essential substance of gum arabic.
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