IS2 activates the ilvA gene of Pseudomonas cepacia in Escherichia coli

The ilvA gene of Pseudomonas cepacia was expressed poorly in Escherichia coli. Insertion of IS2 upstream of the cloned gene dramatically increased its transcription, resulting in an 85-fold increase in threonine dehydratase (deaminase) specific activity. The results confirm earlier reports that IS2 promotes efficient expression of foreign genes in E. coli.