The Bacillus subtilis small cytoplasmic RNA (scRNA) is the structural homologue of both the RNA component of the eukaryotic signal recognition particle (SRP) and the Escherichia coli 4.5S RNA, and it can complement the essential function of the latter RNA in vivo. In the course of characterization of the single-copy scRNA gene locus (scr) we identified an open reading frame, termed ORF17, upstream from scr that encodes an acidic 17 kDa protein of unknown function. This analysis involved DNA sequencing, monitoring expression of transcriptional and translational ORF17-cat and ORF17-lacZ fusions, respectively, and purification and sequencing of the ORF17-lacZ fusion protein. Apparently, transcription of ORF17 proceeds into scr. A small portion of the 17 kDa protein shows homology to deoxycytidylate (DCMP) deaminase of bacteriophagphage T2, but no similarity exists to the sequenced SRP-polypeptides or any other known protein sequences.