5'-upstream region of the phospholipase C-beta2 gene, 810 bp, was cloned and characterized. S1 nuclease mapping and primer extension analyses revealed that a single transcriptional start site locates at 284 nucleotides upstream from the beginning of translation. The 5-upstream region lacks both TATA motif and typical initiator sequence, but retains GC-rich segment. Two putative regulatory regions, a negative region (-636/-588) and a positive region (-98/ -13) were identified in the upstream region of PLC-beta2 gene. We suggest that the transcription of PLC-beta2 may be regulated by binding of regulatory proteins to the negative and/or positive regulatory regions located in the upstream of the gene.