Notch signaling ks an evolutionarily conserved mechanism involved in cell differentiation and fate decision by local cell interactions. During apoptosis cellular proteins involved in cell survival are cleaved by a family of cystein protease, termed caspase. This study showes that Notch receptor is cleaved by caspase-3 in vitro and during UV-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cell. One of its cleavage sites was identified between the transmembrane region and the intracellular cdc10/andyrin repeats. This study provides an evidence that Notch plays an antiaprptotic role in addition to regulating cell fate decisions.
