Characterization of the human kallikrein locus.

The human kallikrein gene family is composed of three members: tissue kallikrein (KLK1), prostate-specific antigen (PA or APS), and human glandular kallikrein-1 (hGK-1 or KLK2). The three genes have previously been isolated and mapped to chromosome 19q13.2-q13.4. Further analysis of an area of 110 kb surrounding the kallikrein genes by CHEF electrophoresis and chromosome walking showed clustering of the three genes. The KLK1 gene is positioned in the opposite orientation of the APS and KLK2 genes in the order KLK1-APS-KLK2. The APS and KLK2 gene are separated by 12 kb; the distance between KLK1 and APS is 31 kb. A CpG island was detected in the region between KLK1 and APS. Preliminary data indicate that this CpG island is located directly adjacent to a gene that is unrelated to the kallikreins and seems to be ubiquitously expressed.