We have determined the exon structure of the mouse tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1) gene. The gene is only 15kb in length, but contains seven introns, in contrast to the tyrosinase gene which is almost 100kb long with only four introns. Only two introns are located in homologous positions in both genes. Intron I of TRP-1 has three alternative 5' splice sites clustered within 21bp, which all splice to the same 3' site. Intron V has a very unusual 5' splice site, which has the dinucleotide GC rather than the conventional GT. We show that as little as 370bp of 5'-flanking DNA is sufficient to direct cell-specific expression of the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase gene. The flanking DNA of TRP-1, unlike tyrosinase, does not contain a TATA box or a CCAAT box. Both mouse genes, however, share an 11bp sequence, also found in human tyrosinase, which we suggest may be a melanocyte-specific promoter element.