GENETIC SELECTION SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY PROTEASES, PROTEASE SUBSTRATES AND PROTEASE INHIBITORS

摘要

The present invention concerns a tester protein for identifying and/ormonitoring protease activity in a cellular assay suitable for high throughputscreenings by growth selection, wherein the tester polypeptide is a non-regulatory protein carrying a protease cleavage sequence. Upon co-expressionof the protease recognizing said cleavage sequence the tester protein isinactivated, which influences the growth and/or survival of the host cellsunder the chosen conditions. However, in the presence of protease inhibitorthe growth phenotype is reversed. The system can be used to identifyproteases, protease inhibitors, and protease cleavage sites.