The survival motor neuron protein interacts with the transactivator FUSE binding protein from human fetal brain

To identify interacting proteins of survival motor neuron (SMN) in neurons, a fetal human brain cDNA library was screened using the yeast two-hybrid s ystem. One identified group of SMN interacting clones encoded the DNA trans activator FUSE binding protein (FBP). FBP overexpressed in HEK293 cells or endogenously expressed in fetal and adult mouse brain bound specifically in vitro to recombinant SMN protein. Furthermore, an anti-FBP antibody specif ically coimmunoprecipitated SMN when both proteins were overexpressed in HE K293 cells, These results demonstrate that FBP is a novel interacting partn er of SMN and suggests a possible role for SMN in neuronal gene expression. (C) 2000 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.