Heterologous Expression of Genes in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Both an α-amylase gene of Bacillus subtilis RSKK246 and a gene encoding β-glucanase from B. subtilis RSKK243 were cloned and expressed in both E. coli XL1-Blue MRF and B. subtilis YB886 by using the vectors pUC18 and pUB110 respectively. These genes were also cloned into the E. coli-yeast shuttle vectors pRS406 and pRS416 for transfer into the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These constructs carrying α-amylase and β-glucanase, genes which were cloned into the pRS406 vector, were expressed by integration into the yeast chromosome. These genes were also expressed in the yeast by autonomous replication of the ARS/CEN plasmid pRS416. This work demonstrates that genes belonging to B. subtilis can replicate in both E. coli and in the yeast S. cerevisiae.