The human PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) gene comprises eight exons spanning more than 15 kilobases of genomic DNA. The gene has a highly complex controlling region, which contains four alternatively spliced, noncoding exons and at least two putative promoters, one 5' of exon 1A (up-stream TATA element) and the other 5' of exon 2 (down-stream TATA element). To define important cis regulatory sequences of this gene, a functional dissection of PTHrP 5'-flanking DNA was initiated, using chimeric PTHrP-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) constructs. This analysis was carried out in PTHrP-negative human renal carcinoma cells, so that RNA derived from transfected DNA could be studied without interference from endogenous PTHrP sequences. Of the initial series of constructs prepared, the most active was a 1.1-kilobase BamHI-HindIII PTHrP-CAT plasmid containing 350 basepairs of DNA 5' of exon 1C and extending into exon 3. Analysis of transfection products by RNase protection and primer extension revealed that this region contains a previously unrecognized promoter of the gene. This element is located immediately 5' of exon 1C, is active in transfected cells when cloned in isolation up-stream of the CAT gene, and appears to be functional in a number of cell lines and tissues on the basis of primer extension analysis. Unlike the other two PTHrP gene promoters, this element is GC rich and does not possess canonical TATA or CAAT sequences. The human PTHrP gene is one of a handful of genes that appear to use both TATA and GC-rich promoter elements.