The encoded protein has a central role in the regulation of lipid metabolism in cells. It is a sterol-regulated subtilisin-like serine protease that cleaves ER membrane-bound sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs), a reaction that initiates the two-step proteolytic process by which transcriptionally active fragments of SREBPs are released from the membrane for translocation to the nucleus. The gene product is an integral membrane ER protein, with the bulk located in the ER lumen. It is synthesized as an inactive preproprotein that is self-activated by an intramolecular cleavage that generates the mature protein. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]. Publication Note: This RefSeq record includes a subset of the publications that are available for this gene. Please see the Gene record to access additional publications.
Function: Catalyzes the first step in the proteolytic activation of the sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs). Other known substrates are BDNF and ATF6. Cleaves after hydrophobic or small residues, provided that Arg or Lys is in position P4. Cleaves known substrates after Arg-Ser-Val-Leu (SERBP-2), Arg-His-Leu-Leu (ATF6), Arg-Gly-Leu-Thr (BDNF) and its own propeptide after Arg-Arg-Leu-Leu.