Cytoplasmic antiproteinase 2 (PI8) and bomapin (PI10) map to the serpin cluster at 18q21.3

High-molecular-weight serine proteinase inhibitors (serpins) regulate a diverse set of intracellular and extracellular processes such as complement activation, fibrinolysis, coagulation, cellular differentiation, tumor suppression, apoptosis, and cell migration. The ov-serpins are a subset of the serpin superfamily and are characterized by their high degree of homology to chicken ovalbumin, the lack of N- and C-terminal extensions, the absence of a signal peptide, and a Ser rather than an Asn residue at the penultimate position. Recently, we mapped four members of the family [SCCA1, SCCA2, PAI2, and PI5 (maspin)] to a 300-kb region within 18q21.3. Using a panel of 18q21.3 YAC clones, PCR, and DNA blotting, we mapped two additional ov-serpins, cytoplasmic antiproteinase 2 [CAP2 (PI8)] and bone marrow-associated serpin [bomapin (PI10)], to the same region. Three of the serpins, PI8, PI10, and PAI2 mapped to the same YACs, yA27D8 and yA24E4. We estimated that the size of the 18q21.3 serpin cluster spanned approximately 500 kb and contained at least six serpin genes. The order was cen-PI5, SCCA2, SCCA1, PAI2, PI10, PI8-tel. The clustering of serpins at 18q21 provides new opportunities to study coordinate gene regulation and the evolution of gene families.