CheckMate™ Mammalian Two-Hybrid System Technical Manual

Instructions for Use of Product(s)
E2440

Literature # TM049

Two-hybrid systems are extremely powerful methods for detecting protein:protein interactions in vivo. The basis of two-hybrid systems is the modular domains found in some transcription factors. In the CheckMate™ Mammalian Two-Hybrid System, the pBIND Vector contains the yeast GAL4 DNA-binding domain upstream of a multiple cloning region, and the pACT Vector contains the herpes simplex virus VP16 activation domain upstream of a multiple cloning region. In addition, the pBIND Vector expresses the Renilla reniformis luciferase, which allows the user to normalize the transfection efficiency. The two genes encoding the two potentially interactive proteins of interest are cloned into pBIND and pACT Vectors to generate fusion proteins with the DNA-binding domain of GAL4 and the activation domain of VP16, respectively. The pG5luc Vector contains five GAL4 binding sites upstream of a minimal TATA box, which in turn, is upstream of the firefly luciferase gene (luc+). The pGAL4 and pVP16 fusion constructs are transfected along with pG5luc Vector into mammalian cells. Two to three days after transfection, the cells are lysed, and the amounts of Renilla luciferase and firefly luciferase are quantitated using the Dual-Luciferase® Reporter Assay System. Interaction between the two test proteins, as GAL4 and VP16 fusion constructs, results in an increase in firefly luciferase expression over the negative controls.

Printed in USA. Revised 4/09.