To study the functioning of HSP70 in Escherichia coli, we selected NtHSP70-2 (AY372070) from among three genomic clones isolated in Nicotiana tabacum. Recombinant NtHSP70-2, containing a hexahistidine tag at the amino-terminus, was constructed, expressed in E. coli, and purified by $Ni^{2+}$ affinity chromatography and Q Sepharose Fast Flow anion exchange chromatography. The expressed fusion protein, $H_6NtHSP70$-2 (hexahistidine-tagged Nicotiana tabacum heat shock protein 70-2), maintained the stability of E. coli proteins up to 90$^{circ}C$. Measuring the light scattering of luciferase (luc) revealed that NtHSP70-2 prevents the aggregation of luc without ATP during high-temperature stress. In a functional bioassay (1 h at 50$^{circ}C$) for recombinant $H_6NtHSP70$-2, E. coli cells overexpressing $H_6NtHSP70$-2 survived about seven times longer than those lacking $H_6NtHSP70$-2. After 2 h at 50$^{circ}C$, only the E. coli overexpressing $H_6NtHSP70$-2 survived under such conditions. Our NtHSP70-2 bioassays, as well as in vitro studies, strongly suggest that HSP70 confers thermo-tolerance to E. coli.