We have developed a tightly repressed Schizosaccharomyces pombe promoter which can be efficiently induced by Tetracycline. This promoter is a derivative of the plant viral cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter which normally functions as a strong constitutive promoter in S. pombe. Location of three binding sites for the Tn10-encoded Tet repressor in the vicinity of the TATA-box of the CaMV 35S promoter led to a tight repression of promoter activity in the presence of the Tet repressor protein. Up to a 400-fold induction was observed after addition of the inducer Tetracycline, which inactivates the operator-binding capacity of the repressor.