INTERACTION MATING REVEALS BINARY AND TERNARY CONNECTIONS BETWEEN DROSOPHILA CELL-CYCLE REGULATORS

We characterized interactions between Drosophila melanogaster cell cyc le regulatory proteins by a yeast interaction-mating technique. The re sults were displayed as two-dimensional matrices that revealed individ ual binary interactions between proteins, Each protein (Cdi, cyclin-de pendent kinase interactor) interacted with a distinct spectrum of cycl in-dependent kinases (Cdk) from Drosophila and other organisms. Some C dis interacted with other Cdis, indicating that these proteins may for m trimeric complexes that include Cdks. Similar analysis of interactio n matrices may be generally useful in detecting other multiprotein com plexes and in establishing connectivity between individual complex mem bers. Moreover, such analysis may also help assign function to newly i dentified proteins, identify domains involved in protein-protein inter actions, and aid the dissection of genetic regulatory networks.