May play a role in tissue-remodeling process occurring in both normal and pathological conditions. May have a protease-independent function in the transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus of secretory cargos, mediated by the GON domain. Binds 1 zinc ion per subunit. Expressed at low level in testis and brain. The precursor is cleaved by a furin endopeptidase. Glycosylated. Can be O-fucosylated by POFUT2 on a serine or a threonine residue found within the consensus sequence C1-X(2)-(S/T)-C2-G of the TSP type-1 repeat domains where C1 and C2 are the first and second cysteine residue of the repeat, respectively. Fucosylated repeats can then be further glycosylated by the addition of a beta-1,3-glucose residue by the glucosyltransferase, B3GALTL. Fucosylation mediates the efficient secretion of ADAMTS family members. Can also be C-glycosylated with one or two mannose molecules on tryptophan residues within the consensus sequence W-X-X-W of the TPRs, and N-glycosylated. These other glycosylations can also facilitate secretion (By similarity). Defects in Adamts20 are the cause of the belted (bt) phenotype. It is a pigmental defect which occurs as a result of a defect in melanocyte development.