Primer extension of human liver poly(A)(+) RNA revealed that the main transcription start site of the human alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase gene (AGXT) is situated near 45 bp upstream from the translation start site. Deletion analysis using the 1203 bp 5'-flanking region of the AGXT gene and a luciferase reporter suggested that the promoter sequence is most likely located 2-325 bp upstream from the translation start site, possibly with enhancer elements 440-700 bp upstream. It was also suggested that the region -2 to -64 is important for the expression of the AGXT gene. The region -2 to -325 has two TATA boxes and some initiator elements.