Abstract: The present invention provides a method to improve the expression of a poorly expressed recombinant protein, such as platelet factor 4, by constructing a gene fusion such that unfavorable secondary structure formed between the region of the messenger RNA specifying the recombinant protein and the region of the messenger RNA containing the ribosome binding site is disrupted. The gene fusion is constructed by inserting a DNA segment of sufficient length to disrupt unfavorable long-range folding interactions which render the ribosome binding site inaccesible to ribosomes thereby interfering with the translation of mRNA. The invention further provides for the expression of recombinant platelet factor 4 and provides recombinant DNA vectors and methods for the bacterial production and recovery of said platelet factor 4.