Abstract: This paper provided a vector construction and expression purification method for DrICE, a novel tool enzyme for fusion tag excision, as well as a method for the construction of expression vectors containing specific cleavage site for this protease. Its application to excision of fusion tags during recombinant protein purification was also demonstrated, suggesting that DrICE can be used as a new tool enzyme specifically for the excision of fusion tags of recombinantly expressed proteins.

Key words: DrICE, fusion tag, vector construction, recombinant protein expression, tool enzyme