The Bacillus licheniformis BlaP beta-lactamase as a model protein scaffold to study the insertion of protein fragments

Using genetic engineering technologies, the chitin‐binding domain (ChBD) of the human macrophage chitotriosidase has been inserted into the host protein BlaP, a class A β‐lactamase produced by Bacillus licheniformis. The product of this construction behaved as a soluble chimeric protein that conserves both the capacity to bind chitin and to hydrolyze β‐lactam moiety. Here we describe the biochemical and biophysical properties of this protein (BlaPChBD). This work contributes to a better understanding of the reciprocal structural and functional effects of the insertion on the host protein scaffold and the heterologous structured protein fragments. The use of BlaP as a protein carrier represents an efficient approach to the functional study of heterologous protein fragments.