Kallikrein 12 (KLK12)

Kallikrein-12 is one of the fifteen kallikrein subfamily members located in a cluster on chromosome 19. Alternate splicing of this gene results in three transcript variants encoding different isoforms.In the second mRNA form, the last exon is split into 2 separate exons with an additional intervening intron, producing a deduced 254-amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 27.1 kD. In the third mRNA form, the fourth exon is missing, producing a deduced 111-amino acid protein with a molecular mass of 12 kD. RT-PCR demonstrated that KLK12 is expressed primarily in salivary gland, stomach, uterus, trachea, prostate, thymus, lung, colon, brain, breast, and thyroid gland and at lower levels in testis, pancreas, small intestine, and spinal cord.