Modular expression and secretion vectors for Bacillus subtilis.

A modular vector system has been developed for the extracellular production of heterologous proteins in Bacillus subtilis. This modular vector system consists of four secretion vectors which are based upon the genes encoding the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens extracellular alkaline protease, neutral protease, barnase and levansucrase. The modular vectors contain compatible restriction sites downstream from the signal peptide-coding region. Three reporter proteins (staphylococcal protein A, levansucrase and Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase) that offer complementary advantages for cloning, genetic manipulations and media optimization have been fused to the various signal peptides. These secretion vectors function in E. coli and hence can be used to compare the mechanisms of protein secretion in E. coli and B. subtilis.