From Sequences to Enzymes: Heterologous Expression of Genes from Marine Microbes

Abstract

Heterologous expression is an easy and broadly applicable experimental approach widely used to investigate protein functions without the need to genetically manipulate the original host. The approach is used to obtain large quantities of the desired protein, which can be further analyzed from a biochemical, structural, and functional perspective. The expression system consists of three main components: (1) a foreign DNA sequence coding for the protein of interest; (2) a suitable expression vector; (3) a suitable host (bacterial, yeast, or mammalian cells) which does not encode or express the protein of interest. Here, we show how to apply an Escherichia coli-based expression system to overexpress protein encoding genes from marine microbes.

Keywords: E. coli; Expression vector; Heterologous expression; Metagenome; Recombinant protein; Uncultured microorganism.