Abstract. Let E, F be Banach spaces where F = E or vice versa. If F has the approximation property, then the space of nuclearly entire functions of bounded type, H Nb (E), and the space of exponential type functions, Exp(F ), form a dual pair. The set of convolution operators on H Nb (E) (i.e. the continuous operators that commute with all translations) is formed by the transposes ϕ(D) ≡ t ϕ, ϕ ∈ Exp(F ), of the multiplication operators ϕ : ψ → ϕψ on Exp(F ). A continuous operator T on H Nb (E) is PDE-preserving for a set P ⊆ Exp(F ) if it has the invariance property:The set of PDE-preserving operators O(P) for P forms a ring and, as a starting point, we characterize O(H) in different ways, where H = H(F ) is the set of continuous homogeneous polynomials on F . The elements of O(H) can, in a one-to-one way, be identified with sequences of certain growth in Exp(F ). Further, we establish a kernel theorem: For every continuous linear operator on H Nb (E) there is a unique kernel, or symbol, and we characterize O(H) by describing the corresponding symbol set. We obtain a sufficient condition for an operator to be PDE-preserving for a set P ⊇ H. Finally, by duality we obtain results on operators that preserve ideals in Exp(F ).