We investigated the spectrum of secreted proteins in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis, and identified these proteins by amino-terminal sequencing. In total, seven sequences have been determined that corresponded to the proteins Sll0044. Slll694. Slll891, Slr0924, Slr0841. Slr0168, and Slr1855, The protein Slll694 of 18 kDa that formed one of two major bands on SDS-PAGE was identified as cyanobacterial pilin, PilA. The amino-terminal sequence of another protein that formed a second major band was blocked. The analysis of the data revealed that five of seven proteins had distinct putative leader sequences for secretion, (C) 2000 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.