Protein purification-free method of binding affinity determination by microscale thermophoresis

J Vis Exp. 2013 Aug 15:(78):50541. doi: 10.3791/50541.

Abstract

Quantitative characterization of protein interactions is essential in practically any field of life sciences, particularly drug discovery. Most of currently available methods of KD determination require access to purified protein of interest, generation of which can be time-consuming and expensive. We have developed a protocol that allows for determination of binding affinity by microscale thermophoresis (MST) without purification of the target protein from cell lysates. The method involves overexpression of the GFP-fused protein and cell lysis in non-denaturing conditions. Application of the method to STAT3-GFP transiently expressed in HEK293 cells allowed to determine for the first time the affinity of the well-studied transcription factor to oligonucleotides with different sequences. The protocol is straightforward and can have a variety of application for studying interactions of proteins with small molecules, peptides, DNA, RNA, and proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / methods*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / chemistry
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Kinetics
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / chemistry
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / genetics
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins