Proteolytic processing of the extracellular scaffolding protein lev-9 is required for clustering acetylcholine receptors

Abstract

Background: LEV-9 is an extracellular scaffolding protein required for synaptic clustering of acetylcholine receptors in C. elegans. Results: C-terminal cleavage of LEV-9 is necessary for its synaptic function. Conclusion: LEV-9 is activated by proteolytic cleavage following the final tandem complement control protein (CCP) modules. Significance: Many LEV-9-related factors are likely cleaved after CCP domains, suggesting that cleavage location can be conserved in distant architecturally related proteins. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.