ARTIFICIAL ANTIFREEZE PROTEINS CAN IMPROVE NACL TOLERANCE WHEN EXPRESSED IN ESCHERICHIA-COLI

A chemically synthesized DNA fragment encoding an artificial antifreez e protein was expressed in E. coli as a translational fusion with a tr uncated protein A. Two constructions were made, with two and four anti freeze domains, respectively. The fusion proteins stimulated the growt h of their bacterial host cells at inhibitory NaCl concentrations. The fusion protein carrying four antifreeze domains also conferred improv ed tolerance towards freezing.