PROTEIN PARTNER SCREENING ASSAYS AND USES THEREOF

摘要

A rapid, simple and inexpensive method to screen and classify proteins as partners of heterodimeric proteins is described which utilizes fusion protein constructs containing a DNA binding domain and a dimerization domain from a different protein. According to the method of the invention, heterodimer formation is detected by the ability of the protein partner to displace homodimer formation, and thus reveal a phenotypic change in a bacterial host which was dependent upon maintenance of the homodimer configuration. The method of the invention may be used to identify compounds of interest which inhibit such heterodimer formation, and especially to identify compounds which prevent heterodimer formation and activation of oncogenic transcriptional regulatory proteins.