Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) in live Drosophila embryos

Methods Mol Biol. 2014:1196:307-18. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1242-1_19.

Abstract

Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) is a powerful method for studying protein-protein interactions in different cell types and organisms. This method was recently developed in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, allowing analyzing protein interaction properties in a physiologically relevant developing context. Here we present a detailed protocol for performing BiFC with the Venus fluorescent protein in live Drosophila embryos, taking the Hox-PBC partnership as an illustrative test case. This protocol applies to any transcription factor and split fluorescent protein in general.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Drosophila / genetics
  • Drosophila / metabolism*
  • Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression
  • Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism*
  • Protein Interaction Mapping / methods*
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Homeodomain Proteins