Expression of the S-1 catalytic subunit of pertussis toxin in Escherichia coli

The S-1 subunit of pertussis toxin was expressed as a fusion protein in a strain of Escherichia coli deficient in protein degradation. The fusion protein reacted with anti-pertussis toxin antibody, and, like authentic pertussis toxin, it ADP-ribosylated a 41,000-molecular-weight membrane protein from human erythrocytes.