title: Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) to study protein-protein interactions in living plant cells.
abstract: Dynamic networks of protein-protein interactions regulate numerous cellular processes and determine the ability of cells to respond appropriately to environmental stimuli. However, the study of protein complex formation in living plant cells has remained experimentally difficult and time-consuming and requires sophisticated technical equipment. In this report, we describe a bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) technique for visualization of protein-protein interactions in plant cells. This approach is based on the formation of a fluorescent complex by two non-fluorescent fragments of the yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) brought together by the association of interacting proteins fused to these fragments. We present the BiFC vectors currently available for the transient and stable transformation of plant cells and provide a detailed protocol for the successful use of BiFC in plants.
authors.affiliation: ZMBP/Pflanzenphysiologie, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schütze
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harter
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chaban
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D059828:Plant Cells; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C054562:yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria