Patent ID: 7166447

Claim:
A set of probes for analyzing protein A–protein B interactions, which set comprises: (i) probe “a” comprising a fusion polypeptide wherein the carboxyl terminus of an N-terminal portion of an indicator protein is fused to the N-terminus of the N-terminal portion of an intein polypeptide, and wherein the C-terminus of the intein polypeptide is fused to a target protein A; and (ii) probe “b” comprising a fusion polypeptide wherein the amino terminus of a C-terminal portion of the indicator protein is fused to the C-terminus of the C-terminal portion of the intein polypeptide, and wherein the N-terminus of the intein polypeptide is fused to a target protein B, wherein the N-terminal portion of the intein and the C-terminal portion of the intein are sufficient to effect trans-splicing, and wherein the N-terminal portion of the indicator protein and the C-terminal portion of the indicator protein constitute a functioning indicator protein after intein mediated trans-splicing occurs.