An effective system for detecting protein-protein interaction based on in vivo cleavage by PPV NIa protease

Protein Cell. 2012 Dec;3(12):921-8. doi: 10.1007/s13238-012-2101-y. Epub 2012 Oct 24.

Abstract

Detection of protein-protein interaction can provide valuable information for investigating the biological function of proteins. The current methods that applied in protein-protein interaction, such as co-immunoprecipitation and pull down etc., often cause plenty of working time due to the burdensome cloning and purification procedures. Here we established a system that characterization of protein-protein interaction was accomplished by co-expression and simply purification of target proteins from one expression cassette within E. coli system. We modified pET vector into co-expression vector pInvivo which encoded PPV NIa protease, two cleavage site F and two multiple cloning sites that flanking cleavage sites. The target proteins (for example: protein A and protein B) were inserted at multiple cloning sites and translated into polyprotein in the order of MBP tag-protein A-site F-PPV NIa protease-site F-protein B-His(6) tag. PPV NIa protease carried out intracellular cleavage along expression, then led to the separation of polyprotein components, therefore, the interaction between protein A-protein B can be detected through one-step purification and analysis. Negative control for protein B was brought into this system for monitoring interaction specificity. We successfully employed this system to prove two cases of reported protien-protein interaction: RHA2a/ANAC and FTA/FTB. In conclusion, a convenient and efficient system has been successfully developed for detecting protein-protein interaction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Endopeptidases / genetics
  • Endopeptidases / metabolism*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Plum Pox Virus / enzymology*
  • Plum Pox Virus / genetics
  • Protein Interaction Mapping / methods*
  • Proteolysis*

Substances

  • Endopeptidases