Abstract: Novel plasmid pVE1, deletion mutants thereof, recombinant derivatives thereof, which is the same as the genome or nucleic acid of such plasmids and derivatives of such genome, which are useful as recombinant DNA cloning vectors into host organisms, such as bacteria, for example, Streptomyces avermitilis; portions of such plasmid genome are additionally useful as adjuncts in recombinant DNA cloning procedures, for examples: 1. to permit the maintenance of cloned DNA in the host, either in an integrated state or as an autonomous element; 2. to serve as promoters for increasing expression of endogenous or foreign genes wherein said promoters are ligated to such genes or otherwise serve as promoters; and 3.