Co-Expression of GroEL/ES Enhances the Expression of Plant Catalase in Bacterial Cytosol

Expression of plant proteins in E. coli is frequently unsuccessful, but soluble and functional rice catalase-B can be produced in E. coli when it is co-expressed with the chaperone GroEL/ES. The rice catalase exhibited properties typical for a catalase including the decomposition of H2O2 and inhibition by aminotriazole, a specific inhibitor for plant and animal catalases. This achievement records for first time the successful expression of a both native and variant rice plant catalase in bacterial cytosol suggesting that it may be an option to be considered for the expression of other plant proteins in E. coli.