Genomic organization and subchromosomal in situ localization of the murine granzyme F, a serine protease expressed in CD8+ T cells

Abstract

Granzyme F belongs to a closely related family of seven murine serine proteases stored in cytoplasmic granules of lymphoid cell populations. In contrast to the murine granzymes A to E and G, granzyme F is exclusively expressed in the CD4-CD8+ subset of peripheral T cells. To characterize the genomic sequences responsible for its highly restricted expression, we isolated a cosmid clone and sequenced a 7.5-kb genomic fragment that contains the promoter region and all five exons of the murine granzyme F gene. A TATA box sequence is located at position -25 relative to the transcription initiation site, which was determined by RNase protection. The genomic organization of granzyme F is similar to that of granzyme B and granzyme C, leukocyte elastase, cathepsin G, rat mast cell protease II, and complement factor D (adipsin). By the use of two fluorochromes for simultaneous high resolution in situ hybridization, the granzyme F gene was localized in close proximity distally from the TCR alpha-chain locus on mouse chromosome 14.