Molecular cloning of the gene for the β-lactamase of Bacillus licheniformis and its expression in Escherichia coli

Abstract

The structural gene, pen, for the β-lactamase of B. licheniformis has been cloned into a λ vector and shown to be expressed at a low rate in E. coli. The cloned pen gene appears to be expressed from a promoter within the fragment of B. licheniformis DNA, since its rate of expression is not affected by the presence of the phage repressor, the absence of the phage's positive-control functions, or the position or orientation of the gene within the phage genome.