Overview:

RIPK2 (RIP2; RICK) is a death domain-containing protein kinase encoding a predicted 540-amino acid protein which contains an N-terminal serine/threonine kinase catalytic domain and a C-terminal caspase activation and recruitment domain. RIPK2 is thought to regulate apoptosis induced by the FAS receptor pathway (1). RIPK2 has been shown to specifically interact with the CARD of ICE/caspase-1 and this interaction correlates with the processing of pro-caspase-1 and the formation of the active caspase-1 p20 (2).

References:

1. Inohara, N. et al: RICK, a novel protein kinase containing a caspase recruitment domain, interacts with CLARP and regulates CD95-mediated apoptosis. J. Biol. Chem. 273: 12296-12300, 1998. Note: Erratum: J. Biol. Chem 273: 18675 only, 1998.

2. Thome, M. et al: Identification of CARDIAK, a RIP-like kinase that associates with caspase-1. Curr. Biol. 8: 885-888, 1998.