Caspase Recruitment Domains
Caspase recruitment domains, or CARDs, are small (~90 residue) protein-protein interaction motifs that mediate many signalling pathways through CARD-CARD interactions. Structurally, CARD domains consist of a helical bundle of six short helices, known as the death fold and this fold is shared with the death domain, death effector and pyrin domains. CARDs and structurally related domains are not only important in mediating the apoptotic response but also in regulating inflammation and innate immunity. Mutations in proteins containing CARD or related domains are important in diseases such as Crohn’s disease, Muckle-Wells syndrome and Familial Mediterranean Fever. Understanding the structures and interactions of CARD domains may allow us to design therapeutics in diseases where CARDs mediate signalling pathways.
