Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-1 is a glycosylated metalloproteinase that is fundamental to the synthesis of a normal extracellular matrix because it cleaves type I procollagen, as well as other precursor proteins. Sequence analysis suggests that BMP-1 has six potential N-linked glycosylation sites (i.e. NXS/T) namely: Asn 91 (prodomain), Asn 142 (metalloproteinase domain), Asn 332 and Asn 363 (CUB1 domain), Asn 599 (CUB3 domain), and Asn 726 in the C-terminal-specific domain. In this study we showed that all these sites are N-glycosylated with complex-type oligosaccharides containing sialic acid, except Asn 726 presumably because proline occurs immediately C-terminal of threonine in the consensus sequence. Recombinant BMP-1 molecules lacking all glycosylation sites or the three CUB-specific sites were not secreted. BMP-1 lacking CUB glycosylation was translocated to the proteasome for degradation. BMP-1 molecules lacking individual glycosylation sites were efficiently secreted and exhibited full procollagen C-proteinase activity, but N332Q and N599Q exhibited a slower rate of cleavage. BMP-1 molecules lacking any one of the CUB-specific glycosylation sites were sensitive to thermal denaturation. The study showed that the glycosylation sites in the CUB domains of BMP-1 are important for secretion and stability of the molecule.Bone morphogenetic protein-1 (BMP-1), 1 also known as procollagen C-proteinase-1 (PCP-1) was first identified in osteogenic extracts of bone (1). BMP-1 is a smaller splice variant of mammalian tolloid, which is the vertebrate ortholog of tolloid, in Drosophila. BMP-1, mammalian tolloid, and two highly homologous relatives tolloid-like 1 and 2 constitute the tolloid clade of astacin-like metalloproteinases that have important functions in development and extracellular matrix formation (2). BMP-1 cleaves fibrillar procollagen type I, II, III (3, 4), and V (5-7), as well as type VII procollagen (8), prolysyl oxidase (9), probiglycan (10), and the ␥2 chain of prolaminin 5 (11). BMP-1 also cleaves chordin (2) therefore affecting dorsal-ventral patterning in vertebrates (12). Similarly, tolloid cleaves the chordin homologue short gastrulation during Drosophila embryo development (13). Bmp1 homozygous null mice are perinatal lethal, with defects in ventral body wall closure and collagen fibrillogenesis (14), which illustrates the importance of BMP-1 in tissue assembly and development.BMP-1 consists of a prodomain that is cleaved by a furin-like enzyme in the trans-Golgi network, 2 an astacin-like zinc metalloproteinase domain (15), one epidermal growth factor-like domain, and three CUB domains. In other proteins, CUB domains mediate protein-protein interactions (16).BMP-1 purified from mouse fibroblasts culture medium has been shown to be N-glycosylated (17). Sequence analysis reveals six potential N-glycosylation sites, one of which is located in the prodomain and five in the mature (active) molecule. However, no information is available on the structure and function of the glycosylation sites....