A new gene-finding tool: using the Caenorhabditis elegans operons for identifying functional partner proteins in human cells

J Biol Chem. 2004 Feb 20;279(8):7136-46. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M307347200. Epub 2003 Nov 13.

Abstract

How can a large number of different phenotypes be generated by a limited number of genotypes? Promiscuity between different, structurally related and/or unrelated proteins seems to provide a plausible explanation to this pertinent question. Strategies able to predict such functional interrelations between different proteins are important to restrict the number of putative candidate proteins, which can then be subjected to time-consuming functional tests. Here we describe the use of the operon structure of the nematode genome to identify partner proteins in human cells. In this work we focus on ion channels proteins, which build an interface between the cell and the outside world and are responsible for a growing number of diseases in humans. However, the proposed strategy for the partner protein quest is not restricted to this scientific area but can be adopted in virtually every field of human biology where protein-protein interactions are assumed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / chemistry
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
  • DNA, Complementary / metabolism
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
  • Genome*
  • Humans
  • Ion Channels / genetics*
  • Ions / chemistry
  • Ions / metabolism
  • Light
  • Models, Genetic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Operon
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary
  • Ion Channels
  • Ions
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Adenosine Triphosphate