Translational Fusion to Hmp Improves Heterologous Protein Expression. Author Xuanqing Wan, A James Link, Mark Brynildsen Publication Year 2022 Type Journal Article Abstract Flavohemoglobins, which are widely distributed in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, play key roles in oxygen (O) transport and nitric oxide (·NO) defense. Hmp is the flavohemoglobin of , and here we report that the translational fusion of Hmp to the N-terminus of heterologous proteins increases their expression in . The effect required the fusion of the proteins, and was independent of both the O-binding and catalytic activity of Hmp. Increased expression was at the translational level, likely to be downstream of initiation, and we observed that as little as the first 100 amino acids of Hmp were sufficient to boost protein production. These data demonstrate the potential of Hmp as an N-terminal fusion tag to increase protein yield, and suggest that the utility of bacterial hemoglobins to biotechnology goes beyond their O transport and ·NO detoxification capabilities. Journal Microorganisms Volume 10 Issue 2 Date Published 2022 Feb 04 ISSN Number 2076-2607 DOI 10.3390/microorganisms10020358 Alternate Journal Microorganisms PMCID PMC8879370 PMID 35208816 PubMedPubMed CentralGoogle ScholarBibTeXEndNote X3 XML