The Mu1 transposable element of maize contains two promoter signals recognized by the Escherichia coli RNA polymerase.

The galactokinase (GalK) expression plasmid vector system pKO-1 has been used to screen for promoter elements in the maize transposable element Mu1 that function in Escherichia coli. Two transcriptional start points, named S1 and S2, were identified, which are located in the two direct repeats of the transposable element. This paper demonstrates that sequence elements exist in a plant transposable element which function as prokaryotic promotors.