Characterization of the prostate-specific antigen gene: a novel human kallikrein-like gene.

Using Prostate-specific Antigen cDNA fragments as hybridization probes a clone containing the information for the gene encoding Prostate-specific Antigen was isolated form a human genomic DNA library. The complete gene (about 6 kb) was sequenced and shown to be composed of four introns and five exons. Two major transcription initiation sites were found. The sequence of the promoter region revealed the presence of various well known transcription regulatory elements including a TATA box. A high percentage of homology was found between the Prostate-specific Antigen gene and the hGK-1 gene (82%). This homology extended into the promoter region. Two previously described variant Prostate-specific Antigen cDNAs can now be explained by intron retention and alternative splicing of the primary transcript.