Expression, purification and some properties of fluorescent chimeras of human small heat shock proteins

► Eight fluorescent chimeras of human small heat shock proteins (sHsp) were obtained. ► Spectral properties of fluorescent proteins (FP) were not changed after fusing to sHsp. ► Fusing of fluorescent proteins did not affect oligomeric state of HspB6 and HspB8. ► HspB1 and HspB5 chimeras form oligomers containing less subunits than wild type sHsp. ► Cyan FP fused to small heat shock proteins enhanced their chaperone-like activity.