Biosynthesis and expression of a disintegrin-like and metalloproteinase domain with thrombospondin-1 repeats-15

<b>Background<br /></b> ADAMTS proteoglycanases show proteolytic activity toward versican and other proteoglycans.<br /><br /><b>Results<br /></b> ADAMTS15, which cleaves versican, is expressed during early cardiac development and during musculoskeletal development.<br /><br /><b>Conclusion</b><br /> With unique and overlapping biological properties, ADAMTS15 is likely to have cooperative roles with other members of the ADAMTS proteoglycanase clade.<br /><br /><b>Significance</b><br /> Versican cleavage has profound effects on developmental morphogenesis and regulates cancer cell behavior.