A gateway-based system for fast evaluation of protein-protein interactions in bacteria

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 9;10(4):e0123646. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123646. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Protein-protein interactions are important layers of regulation in all kingdoms of life. Identification and characterization of these interactions is one challenging task of the post-genomic era and crucial for understanding of molecular processes within a cell. Several methods have been successfully employed during the past decades to identify protein-protein interactions in bacteria, but most of them include tedious and time-consuming manipulations of DNA. In contrast, the MultiSite Gateway system is a fast tool for transfer of multiple DNA fragments between plasmids enabling simultaneous and site directed cloning of up to four fragments into one construct. Here we developed a new set of Gateway vectors including custom made entry vectors and modular Destination vectors for studying protein-protein interactions via Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), Bacterial two Hybrid (B2H) and split Gaussia luciferase (Gluc), as well as for fusions with SNAP-tag and HaloTag for dual-color super-resolution microscopy. As proof of principle, we characterized the interaction between the Salmonella effector SipA and its chaperone InvB via split Gluc and B2H approach. The suitability for FRET analysis as well as functionality of fusions with SNAP- and HaloTag could be demonstrated by studying the transient interaction between chemotaxis response regulator CheY and its phosphatase CheZ.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / genetics*
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
  • Genetic Vectors*
  • Luciferases / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Methyl-Accepting Chemotaxis Proteins
  • Microfilament Proteins / genetics
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism
  • Plasmids
  • Protein Interaction Maps / genetics*
  • Salmonella / genetics
  • Salmonella / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Methyl-Accepting Chemotaxis Proteins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • SipA protein, Salmonella
  • cheY protein, E coli
  • Luciferases

Grants and funding

This work was supported in part by the DFG through project P4 of the collaborative research centre SFB 944 ‘Physiology and dynamics of cellular microcompartments’ at the University of Osnabrück (to M.H.) and GE2533/1–1 (to R.G.G.) and an ERC grant 294761 (to V.S.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.