When the alginate lyase gene (aly) from Pseudoalteromonas elyakovii was expressed in E. coli, most of the gene product was organized as aggregated insoluble particles known as inclusion bodies. To examine the effects of chaperones on soluble and nonaggregated form of alginate lyase in E. coli, we constructed plasm ids designed to permit the coexpression of aly and the DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE or GroEL/ES chaperones. The results indicate that coexpression of aly with the DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE chaperone together had a marked effect on the yield alginate lyase as a soluble and active form of the enzyme. It is speculated this result occurs through facilitation of the correct folding of the protein. The optimal concentration of L-arabinose required for the induction of the DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE chaperone was found to be 0.05mg/mL. An analysis of the protein bands on SDS-PAGE gel indicated that at least 37% of total alginate lyase was produced in the soluble fraction when the DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE chaperone was coexpressed.