Tissue-specific expression patterns and fine mapping of the human kallikrein (KLK) locus on proximal 19q13.4

The tissue or glandular kallikreins (KLK) are members of a highly conserved multigene family encoding serine proteases that are central to many biolog ical processes. The rodent KLK families are large, highly conserved and clu stered at one locus. The human KLK gene family is clustered on chromosome 1 9q13.3-13.4, and until recently consisted of just three members. However, r ecent studies have identified up to II new members of the KLK family that a re less conserved than their rodent counterparts. Using a Southern blot and sequence analysis of 10 BACs and cosmids spanning approximately 400 kiloba ses (kb) either side of the original KLK 60-kb locus, we demonstrated that these genes also lie adjacent to this. We have also clarified the position of several microsatellite markers in relation to the extended KLK locus. Mo reover, from Southern blot analysis of the cosmids and BACs with a degenera te oligonucleotide probe to the histidine-encoding region of serine proteas es, we have shown that there are no other serine protease genes approximate ly 400 kb centromeric and 220 kb telomeric of the extended locus. We perfor med an extensive analysis of the expression patterns of these genes by poly (A)' RNA dot blot and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analy sis, and demonstrated a diverse pattern of expression. Of interest are clus ters of genes with high prostate (KLK2-4) and pancreatic (KLK6-13) expressi on suggesting evolutionary conservation of elements conferring tissue speci ficity. From these findings, it is likely that the human KLK gene family co nsists of just 14 clustered genes within 300 kb and thus is of a comparable size to the rodent families (13-24 genes within 310 and 480 kb, respective ly). In contrast to the rodent families, the newest members of the human KL K family are much less conserved in sequence (23-44% at the protein level) and appear to consist of at least four subfamilies. In addition, like the r at, these genes are expressed at varying levels in a diverse range of tissu es although they exhibit quite distinct patterns of expression.