Efficient overexpression of human interleukin-6 in Escherichia coli using nanoluciferase as a fusion partner

- NanoLuc was developed as a novel fusion partner for soluble overexpression in E. coli.
- The aggregation-prone IL6 was used as an example for difficult-to-express proteins.
- Soluble 6×His-NanoLuc-IL6 was overexpressed in E. coli and purified to homogeneity.
- Fully active IL6 was obtained at a high yield after removal of the fusion partner.
- The NanoLuc-fusion approach could be applied to other aggregation-prone proteins.