Cysteine protease which, in vitro, cleaves itself and caspase ced-3 into their mature active forms (PubMed:9857046). Also cleaves, in vitro, inactive caspase csp-2 isoform b (PubMed:9857046). Required maternally to induce apoptosis in a subset of cells fated to die during embryogenesis, mostly independently of the ced-9, ced-4 and ced-3 canonical apoptosis pathway (PubMed:23505386). Involved in the degeneration of dopaminergic CEP neurons in response to high Mn(2+) levels (PubMed:23721876). Dispensable for regulating apoptosis during embryogenesis. Strict requirement for an Asp residue at position P1 and has a preferred cleavage sequence of Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-|-. Inhibited by cysteine protease inhibitor iodoacetic acid (CH3COOI) but not by N-[N-(L-3-transcarboxirane-2-carbonyl)-leucyl]-agmatine (E-64) or benzyloxycarbonyl-DEVD-fluoro-methyl ketone (Z-DEVD-FMK). Heterodimer formed by the tight association of the large subunit p16 and the small subunit p14. Isoform a: Expression is restricted to the late germline pachytene stage of meiosis I in both L4 larvae and adult hermaphrodite gonads. Isoform b: Expression is restricted to the late germline pachytene stage of meiosis I in both L4 larvae and adult hermaphrodite gonads. Autocatalytic cleavage removes the propeptide and generates the two active subunits p16 and p14 in vitro. Cannot be cleaved by ced-3 in vitro. Survival of touch neurons and several pharyngeal cells is not affected during development and no extra pharyngeal cells caused by impaired apoptosis are produced (PubMed:23505386). Basal and ionizing radiation-induced germline apoptosis are normal (PubMed:23505386). In a ced-3 n2427 mutant background, more animals have the M4 sister cell that survives (PubMed:23505386). In a csp-3 n4872, csp-2 n4871 and ced-3 n3692 mutant background where the canonical apoptotic pathway is impaired, 16 percent of animals have still 1 or more cell corpses that are morphologically apoptotic and are internalized by engulfing cells (PubMed:23505386). In addition, apoptosis of the male linker cell occurs normally (PubMed:23505386). RNAi-mediated knockdown causes a 50 percent inhibition of Mn(2+)-induced dopaminergic CEP neuron degeneration (PubMed:23721876). Belongs to the peptidase C14A family.