The protein product of hamster islet neogenesis-associated protein (INGAP) cDNA induces new pancreatic islet development. Manipulation of this process provides a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of diabetes. As regulators of INGAP gene expression are unknown over 6 kb of hamster genomic INGAP has been cloned. Sequence analysis has identified a 3 kb 5-prime region with core promoter elements that is rich in transcription factor binding sites and six exons for the coding region. Analysis of promoter activity reveals stimulus-responsive DNA elements which have been identified though deletion analysis. Comparison of transcription factor binding sites in INGAP to the related gene RegIIIdelta exposes potential sites for differential gene regulation.