Serine protease HTRA2, mitochondrial

Serine protease that shows proteolytic activity against a non-specific substrate beta-casein. Promotes or induces cell death either by direct binding to and inhibition of BIRC proteins (also called inhibitor of apoptosis proteins, IAPs), leading to an increase in caspase activity, or by a BIRC inhibition-independent, caspase-independent and serine protease activity-dependent mechanism. Cleaves THAP5 and promotes its degradation during apoptosis. Isoform 2 seems to be proteolytically inactive.