Promoter elements from random chromosomal DNA of a rice epiphyticBacillus pumilus were cloned into promoter probe shuttle vector ECE7 and sequenced. The results showed that these elements were all new DNA sequences. Six strong promoter elements were obtained by determination of CAT enzyme activity in bothE. coli andB. pumilus. Transcription start sites of thecat mRNA were located by primer extension using total RNA. Comparison of the promoter sequences indicated that three of them contain-10 and -35 regions likeB. pumilus σ43 consensus sequence and another one is similar toB. pumilus σ29. The other two have no typical consensus sequences of known sigma factors so far.