Aberrant cleavage of Notch and amyloid precursor proteins (APPs) by γ-secretase is implicated in numerous diseases, but how cleavage is regulated in space and time is unclear. Here, we report that cadherin-based adherens junctions (cadAJs) are sites of high cell-surface γ-secretase activity, while simultaneously excluding these γ-secretase substrates by a size-dependent mechanism, prohibiting enzyme-substrate interactions. Upon activation, Notch and APP undergo drastic spatial rearrangements to cadAJs, concentrating them with γ-secretase, wherein they are further processed for downstream signaling. Spatial mutation by decreasing (or increasing) the size of Notch extracellular domain promotes (or inhibits) signaling, respectively. Dysregulation of this spatial switch also promotes formation of more amyloidogenic Aβ. Therefore, cadAJs creates distinct biochemical compartments regulating signaling events involving γ-secretase and prevent pathogenic activation of its substrates.
Size-dependent protein segregation at membrane interfaces