title: Two-hybrid protein-protein interaction analysis in Arabidopsis protoplasts: establishment of a heterodimerization map of group C and group S bZIP transcription factors.
abstract: In vivo protein-protein interactions are frequently studied by means of yeast two-hybrid analysis. However, interactions detected in yeast might differ considerably in the plant system. Based on GAL4 DNA-binding (BD) and activation domains (AD) we established an Arabidopsis protoplast two-hybrid (P2H) system. The use of Gateway-compatible vectors enables the high-throughput screening of protein-protein interactions in plant cells. The efficiency of the system was tested by examining the homo- and heterodimerization properties of basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors. A comprehensive heterodimerization matrix of Arabidopsis thaliana group C and group S bZIP transcription factors was generated by comparing the results of yeast and protoplast two-hybrid experiments. Surprisingly, almost no homodimerization but rather specific and selective heterodimerization was detected. Heterodimers were preferentially formed between group C members (AtbZIP9, -10, -25, -63) and members of group S1 (AtbZIP1, -2, -11, -44, -53). In addition, significant but low-affinity interactions were detected inside group S1, S2 or C AtbZIPs, respectively. As a quantitative approach, P2H identified weak heterodimerization events which were not detected in the yeast system. Thus, in addition to cell biological techniques, P2H is a valuable tool for studying protein-protein interaction in living plant cells.
authors.affiliation: Albrecht-von-Haller-Institut, Universität Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, D-37073 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ehlert
authors.forename: Fridtjof
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Weltmeier
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Caroline S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Sjef
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smeekens
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vicente-Carbajosa
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dröge-Laser
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019281:Dimerization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011523:Protoplasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors