In B. subtilis, $alpha$-amylase synthesis is regulated by amyR located directly on the upstream of amyE. Three different amyR alleles have been reported, amyR1, amyR2 and amyR3. Strains bearing the gra-10 mutation which confers derepression for catabolite repression has GlongrightarrowA transition mutation at ＋5 of amyR1. S1 nuclease mapping demonstrated that transcription initiated at 8 bases downstream from the -10 region of putative E$sigma^{A}$ promoter P1 in amyR1 and gra-10. In amyR2, the major transcription initiatd at the same place and the minor, 10 bases downstream from -10 of P2. The transcript from P2 contributed approximately 15-20% of total amyE mRNA. S1 nuclease protection experiment indicated that amyE mRNA levels corresponded to the rate of synthesis assumed by specific activities of $alpha$-amylase in culture supernatants, suggesting that $alpha$-amylase synthesis is regulated at the level of transcription.n.