Secretion of Serratia marcescens nuclease by E. coli harboring pNUC4 was investigated. 29.2, 54.2 and 16.6% of total nuclease were observed in culture medium, periplasm, and cytoplasm of E. coli, respectively. To investigate the secretion mechanism of Serratia nuclease by E. coli, secretion kinetics of nuclease was examined in the presences of sodium azide, and energy metabolism inhibitor; procaine, an exoprotein processing inhibitor; and chloramphenicol, a protein synthesis inhibitor. In the presence of sodium azide, periplasmic unclease was gradually decreased and the extracellular nyclease was linearly increased according to the incubation time. Similar results were obtained in presences of procaine and chloramphenicol. From these results, we concluded that two transport processes are involved in nuclease secretion: secretion of nuclease through the inner membrane is occurred by an energy-dependent process and probably requiring precusor processing: secretion of nuclease through outer membrane does not require energy, de novo protein synthesis, and precursor processing.