Construction of plasmid-based expression vector for Bacillus subtilis: In cytoplasm, on the surface and as secretion into culture medium

Plasmids are useful tools to study gene expression and their function. However, most of the available plasmids for Bacillus subtilis suffer from structural instability because of their rolling-circle replication mechanism. In this work, stable plasmids have been constructed allowing expression of recombinant proteins in the cytoplasm and their secretion into the culture supernatant. The author has also established an experimental system to immobilize proteins on the cell wall of B. subtilis. The sorting of surface proteins to the cell wall in B. subtilis has been investigated aiming to anchor recombinant protein on the surface.

Hoang D. Nguyen obtained his Ph.D. certificate at the University of Bayreuth, Germany. He is now an associate professor of Microbiology at the University of Science, Vietnam National University-Hochiminh City. He has a keen interest in the development of expression systems for Bacillus subtilis and production of recombinant proteins.