Expression of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase in Bacillus subtilis underthe control of a phytoplasma promoter

A cloned putative promoter region upstream of the 16S rRNA gene of the west ern X-disease phytoplasma H as inserted behind the promoterless chloramphen icol acetyltransferase gene of plasmid pPL603. The DNA construct was used t o transform Bacillus subtilis cells. The transformants were assayed for chl oramphenicol acetyltransferase activity, showing that the phytoplasma promo ter is efficiently expressed in a B. subtilis background. (C) 2001 Federati on of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V . All rights reserved.