Patent ID: 6858382

Claim:
A method for detecting the formation of a protein complex, said method comprising: (a) providing a first host cell comprising (i) a first reporter gene operably linked to a DNA comprising a first protein binding site; (ii) a first fusion gene encoding a first fusion protein comprising a first protein covalently bonded to a binding moiety capable of specifically binding to said first protein binding site; (iii) a second fusion gene encoding a second fusion protein comprising a second protein covalently bonded to a gene activating moiety; and (iv) a third gene comprising a sequence encoding a third protein; (b) providing a second host cell comprising (i) said first reporter gene; (ii) said first fusion gene; and (iii) said second fusion gene; (c) providing a third host cell comprising (i) a second reporter gene operably linked to a DNA comprising a second protein binding site; (ii) said second fusion gene; and (iii) a third fusion gene encoding said third protein covalently bonded to a binding moiety capable of specifically binding to said second protein binding site; (d) measuring expression output of said first reporter gene in said first and said second host cells and said second reporter gene in said third host cell; and (e) interpreting the expression output results of step (d), whereby increased output of said first reporter gene in said first host cell relative to the output of said first reporter gene in said second host cell and said second reporter gene in said third host cell indicates that said first, said second, and said third proteins form an oligomeric complex.