Expression and purification of the rTonB2 protein. Protein samples were separated by SDS-PAGE and stained with Coomassie brilliant blue. Lane M, pre-stained protein marker (Fermentas, Vilnius, Lithuania); lane 1, successful induction of rTonB2 in E. coli BL21(DE3) transformed by pET-TonB2; lane 2, lysate of E. coli BL21(DE3) containing plasmid pET-28a; lane 3, rTonB2 was purified by Ni2+ affinity chromatography column.