Practical Course Prof. Dr. Günter Theißen

Yeast-two-hybrid assay to test protein-protein interactions between putative transcription
factors

Instructors: Dr. Mariana Mondragón-Palomino and Rainer Melzer
Date: 9th, 10th and 13th of October, 2006
Place: Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Schiller-University.
Chair of Genetics. Philosophenweg 12. Second floor, room 225.
 

Summary:
The aim of this practical course is to introduce the students into the conceptual and
experimental aspects of Yeast-two-Hybrid technology (Y2H). During the introductory
session, the students and instructors will discuss the fundamentals of this technique as well as
its diverse applications across the biological and medical sciences. In the laboratory, the
students will gain hands-on experience by testing several known and newly described proteinprotein
interactions between MADS-domain transcription factors from different plant species.
These transcription factors are key players in floral development and form dimers and higher
order complexes that bind to DNA. For this reason, Yeast-two-Hybrid technology and its
derivatives have been instrumental to understand and test different models on the function and
evolution of these transcription factors. On a wider context, learning about the basis and high
potential of this technology is essential for all scientists interested in the interaction between
any group of proteins as well as those who want to delve into the exciting possibilities of
functional genomics (Causier and Davies 2002).

Causier B. and Davies B. Analysing protein-protein interactions with the yeast two-hybrid
system. Plant Molecular Biology 50: 855–870, 2002.