The invention provides flagellin-based fusion proteins (FBFP) are useful for a variety of purposes, in bioremediation to remove metal ions from a liquid, to express an enzyme or an immunogen, nucleic acids encoding the FBFP, vectors containing the nucleic acids, and host cells harboring the vectors. Furthermore, the invention provides methods for obtaining over-expression and surface display of heterologous polypeptides in Gram-positive bacterial cells in Bacillus halodurans in particular. In addition, the invention features gene-disrupted bacterial are useful for expressing the recombinant FBFP on their surfaces. Also included in the invention genetic constructs are useful for making FBFP and methods of using the FBFP.