Heavy metal induction of the synthesis of metallothioneins (MTs) provides an ideal model system for basic mechanistic studies of gene expression. Cell lines varying in their resistance to heavy metals have been isolated through a regime of exposure to serially increasing levels of Cd followed by clonal isolation. These cell lines have been used to examine the role of methylation and amplification in the Cd-resistant (Cdr) phenotype. It is suggested that regulation of expression of the MT genes in Cdr Chinese hamster cells is modulated at both the transcriptional and translational levels. An analysis of the MT2 gene sequence has uncovered a potential alternative splice site in the first intron. Usage of this site would insert 3 or 12 additional amino acids between amino acids 9 and 10. Analysis of the splicing pattern of the MT2 gene transcript in cultured cells has indicated that the second intron is preferentially removed prior to first intron excision.