Expression of the cloned subunits of bacterial luciferase from separate replicons

The lux A and lux B genes of Vibrio harveyi, encoding the alpha and beta subunits of bacterial luciferase, were cloned individually into Escherichia coli in two different compatible plasmids. Active luciferase was formed in an amount equal to that produced in cells carrying a plasmid with the cloned genes on a single fragment.