Deletion of Kallikrein-related peptidases ( Klks ) has no effect on fertility in mice.

Kallikreins (KLKs) are serine peptidases. It was established that Klks are estrogen-target genes in mouse uteri. However, the functional requirement of KLK family in the uterine function during reproduction is unknown. Here we generated a compound deletion of Klk1b3, Klk1b4, Klk1b5, and Klk1 in a mouse model using CRISPR/Cas9 strategy with four single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) to target the second exon of these four genes that are aligned back-to-back in a single locus spanning 32.95 kb on chromosome 7. We found that both male and female knockout mice are fertile with no apparent health defect compared to wild-type controls. Our data suggest that Klk1b3, Klk1b4, Klk1b5, and Klk1 are not necessary for male and female reproductive function in mice.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.
(Copyright: © 2024 by the authors.)