A unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7002 was transformedwith plasmid pQL1, on which β-lactamase gene (bla) and β-galactosidase gene (lacZ) were encoded.The transformant cells released β-lactamase into medium by an abrupt drop of osmotic pressure. This re-sult indicates that this cyanobacterium recognizes and processes the signal sequence of β-lactamase, andaccumulates the enzyme in periplasm. Repeated release of β-lactamase was possible by repeated osmoticshocks without impairing cell viability. On the other hand, most of the β-galactosidase remained in cyto-plasm under the osmotic shock. A unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. Strain PCC 7002 was transformed with plasmid pQL1, which β-lactamase gene (bla) and β-galactosidase gene (lacZ) were encoded. The transformant cells released β-lactamase into medium by an abrupt drop of osmotic pressure . This re-sult indicates that this cyanobacterium recognizes and processes the signal sequence of β-lactamase, andaccumulates the enzyme in periplasm. Repeated release of β-lactamase was possible by repeated osmoticshocks without impairing cell viability. On the other hand, most of the β-galactosidase remained in cyto-plasm under the osmotic shock.