pMB4 is a 2.4-kilobase plasmid of Staphylococcus aureus TR-1 that confers inducible resistance to the macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B(MLS) antibiotics. By subcloning studies, it was found that the MLS resistance determinant was located at 1.0Kb fragment between Sau3AI and TaqI sites. DNA sequence of the MLS resistant determinant, named ermC-4 was determined, and found to be highly homologous with that of ermC. Because the leader peptide sequence of ermC-4 was identical with that of ermC, the expression of the resistance gene is thought to be controlled by posttranscriptional attenuation in S. aureus TR-1.