The gene coding for mannanase from Bacillus subtilis WL-7, a number of glycosyl hydrolase family 26, was hyperexpressed in Escherichia coli. Two recombinant plasmids, pE7MAN and pENS7, were constructed by introducing the complete mannanase gene and the mature mannanase gene lacking N-terminal signal peptide region into a expression vector pET24a(＋), respectively. The level of mannanase produced by E. coli BL21 (DE3) carrying pENS7, which included the mature mannanase gene, was considerably higher than that by E. coli BL21 (DE3)/pE7MAN. Almost mannanase produced by the recombinant E. coli carrying pENS7 at growth temperature of $37^{circ}C$ existed as inactive enzyme of insoluble form. Growth at temperature below $31^{circ}C$ increased the soluble fraction of mannanase having catalytic activity in the recombinant E. coli cells. The highest productivity of active mannanase was observed in cell-free extract of the recombinant E. coli grown at growth temperature ranging from $25^{circ}C$ to $28^{circ}C$, while mannanase activity per soluble protein of the cell-free extract was highest in the cells grown at $^31{circ}C$.