THE GENE FOR THE SERPIN THROMBIN INHIBITOR (P17), PROTEASE NEXIN-I, IS LOCATED ON HUMAN-CHROMOSOME 2Q33-Q35 AND ON SYNTENIC REGIONS IN THE MOUSE AND SHEEP GENOMES

Protease nexin I (PNI) is the most important physiologic regulator of alpha-thrombin in tissues. PNI is highly expressed and developmentally regulated in the nervous system where it is concentrated at neuromusc ular junctions and also central synapses in the hippocampus and striat um. Approximately 10% of identified proteins at mammalian neuromuscula r junctions are serine protease inhibitors, consistent with their cent ral role in balancing serine protease activity to develop, maintain, a nd remodel synapses. Southern blot hybridization of PNI cDNA to somati c cell hybrids placed the structural gene for PNI (locus PI7) on human chromosome 2q33-q35 and to syntenic chromosomes in the mouse (chromos ome 1) and sheep (chromosome 2). (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.