Interaction Trap compatible plasmids and strains 

LexA Fusion plasmids

Plasmid 
name
Selection Comment/description Contact info
in yeast  in E.coli 
pMW101 HIS3 CmR Basic plasmids to clone Bait as fusion with LexA. 

Expression is driven by the ADH1 promoter 

RB
pMW103 KmR
pEG202 ApR Origene,
Clontech,
MoBiTec,
Display
pJK202 pEG202 derivative, incorporating nuclear localization sequences between LexA and polylinker (enhanced ability to translocate Bait to nucleus) Origene
pNLexA  Polylinker is upstream of LexA; allows fusion of LexA to C-terminus of Bait, leaving amino-terminal residues of Bait unblocked Origene
pEG202I pEG202 derivative, which can be integrated into yeast HIS3 gene after digestion with KpnI; ensures lower levels of Bait expression RB
pGilda   GAL1 promoter and CEN-ARS backbone facilitate a tightly controlled, galactose-inducible bait expression; should be used if continuous presence of the Bait is toxic to yeast Origene,
Clontech
pDD
KmR
R.Hopkins
pHybLex/Zeo Zeo R Bait cloning vector, compatible with IT and all other two-hybrid systems. Minimal ADH1 promoter expresses LexA followed by extended polylinker. Invitrogen
pCGLex/
    p2GLex
Gal-inducible Bait vector, compatible with IT and all other two-hybrid systems. GAL1 promoter promoter expresses LexA followed by extended polylinker; both high- and low copy number versions available.
J.Huang

Control LexA-fused baits

Plasmid 
name
Selection Comment/description Contact info
in yeast  in E.coli 
pEG202-Ras HIS3
ApR
a negative control for activation and positive control for interaction with Raf1 and RalGDS I.Serebriiskii
pEG202-hsRPB7  a weak positive control for activation I.Serebriiskii
pEG202-Krit1 a moderate positive control for activation I.Serebriiskii
pRFHM1
(control)
The homeodomain of bicoid cloned into pEG202 backbone; the resulting non-activating fusion is recommended as a negative control for activation and interaction assays, and as a positive control for repression assay. Origene
pSH17-4
(control)
GAL4 activation domain cloned into pEG202 backbone is recommended as a positive control for transcriptional activation. Origene


Activation Domain Fusion plasmids

Plasmid 
name
Selection Comment/description Contact info
in yeast  in E.coli 
pJG4-5 TRP1 ApR Library construction plasmid; GAL1 promoter provides efficient expression of a gene fused to a cassette consisting of nuclear localization sequence, transcriptional activation domain, and HA epitope tag Origene,
Clontech,
MoBiTec,
Display
pJLo
A derivative of pJG4-5 that has lower copy number (CEN/ARS ori )
R.Hopkins
pJG4-5I A derivative of pJG4-5 that can be integrated into yeast TRP1 gene after digestion with Bsu36I; designed to study interactions that occur physiologically at low protein concentrations ( in combination with pEE202I) RB
pYESTrp GAL1 promoter expresses nuclear localization domain, transcriptional activation domain, V5 epitope tag, multiple cloning sites; contains f1 ori and T7 promoter/flanking site. Used to express cDNA libraries Invitrogen
pNB42
series
Allow fusion to the N-terminus of an AD, leaving N-terminal residues of Prey unblocked; various multiple cloning sites. No libraries yet available  M. Brown
pMW102 KmR Same as pJG4-5, but with altered antibiotic resistance markers; no libraries yet available  RB
pMW104 CmR
pCGB42/
p2GB42
GenetR
KmR
 The same Tn903-encoded gene confers kanamycin resistance in E.coliand geneticin resistance in yeast; both high- and low copy number versions available. Multiple cloning site.
J.Huang

Control AD-fusions

Plasmid 
name
Selection Comment/description Contact info
in yeast  in E.coli 
pJG4-5-Raf TRP1 ApR
a positive control for interaction with Ras I.Serebriiskii
pYesTrp-RalGDS  a positive control for interaction with Ras and Krev I.Serebriiskii
pJG4-5-Krit1 a positive control for interaction with Krev I.Serebriiskii


LexA-responsive LacZ Reporter Plasmids

Plasmid 
name
Selection Comment/description  Contact info
in yeast  in E.coli  # of ope-
rators 
.
pMW112 URA3 KmR 8 Transcription of the lacZ gene is directed by lexA operators:
the most sensitive indicator plasmids for transcriptional activation have 8 operators,
intermediate reporters 2,
and the most stringent reporters 1 operator 
RB
pMW109 2
pMW111 1
pMW107 CmR 8
pMW108 2
pMW110 1
pSH18-34 ApR 8 Origene,
Invitrogen,
Clontech
pJK103 2 Origene
pRB1840 1 Origene
pJK101
(control)
(2) The basal activity of lacZ gene is under control of 2 lexA operators; used to monitor Bait binding to operator sequences (in repression assay ) Origene
pGNG1 8? lacZ gene is replaced by GFP MoBiTec,
Display
pLexAop
-lucU 
8 lacZ gene is replaced by luciferase A.Fujita


Yeast Selection Strains

Strain name Genotype Comment/description  Contact info
# of ope-
rators 
.
EGY48 MATalpha, trp1, his3, ura3,
lexAops-LEU2
6 Transcription of the LEU2 gene is under control of lexA operators; EGY48 is a basic strain used to select for interacting clones from a cDNA library, while EGY191 provides a more stringent selection, producing lower background with Baits with intrinsic ability to activate transcription. Origene,
Invitrogen,
Clontech,
MoBiTec,
Display
EGY191 2
L40 MATalpha, trp1, leu2, ade2, GAL4,
lexAops-HIS3,
lexAops-lacZ
.
4
8
.
Expression driven from GAL1 promoter is constitutive in L40 (inducible in EGY strains). Selection is for his prototrophy, and integrated lacZ reported is considerably less sensitive than pSH18-34 in EGY strains. Invitrogen
RFY206 MATa, trp1, his3, ura3, leu2, lys2 . Used in mating assay  Origene


Miscellaneous

Item Comment/description  Contact info
5´ bait primer  for sequencing bait-fusion protein junction  Origene, Invitrogen,
Clontech, MoBiTec,
Display
3´ bait primer for PCR Invitrogen
5´ target primer for PCR and sequencing Origene, Invitrogen,
Clontech, MoBiTec,
Display
3´ target primer  for PCR and sequencing (cannot be used to sequence PCR fragments) Origene, Invitrogen,
MoBiTec, Display
additional plasmids related to basic bait/prey plasmids for expression in yeast Origene
additional yeast reporter strains contain intermediate sensitivity LEU2 or LacZ reporters  Origene, Clontech,
MoBiTec, Display
KC8 (E. coli)  trp- strain used for rescuing target plasmids from yeast  Origene, Clontech
antibodies against LexA can be used for characterizing hybrid proteins generated with bait plasmids Invitrogen, Clontech, Santa Cruz



Also, see Dual Bait compatible strains and plasmids - they suit for "classic" two-hybrid, too!

Notes

Abbreviations:
RB: Roger Brent lab.

By red font are shown items recommended as basic set.

For basic plasmids, maps are available
Plasmids marked commercially available from Clontech have different commercial names

Credits:
Interaction Trap reagents represent the work of many contributors: the original basic reagents were developed in the Brent laboratory. Plasmids with altered antibiotic resistance markers (all pMW plasmids) were constructed at Glaxo in Research Triangle Park. Plasmids and strains for specialized applications have been developed by: E. Golemis, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia - pEG202, EG48, EG191; J. Gyuris, Mitotix, Cambridge - pJG4-5; J. Kamens, BASF, Worcester - pJK101, pJK202; cumulative efforts of I. York, Dana-Farber Cancer Center, Boston and M.Sainz and S.Nottwehr, U. Oregon - pNLexA; D.A. Shaywitz, MIT Center for Cancer Research, Cambridge - pGilda; R. Buckholz, Glaxo Research Triangle Park - pEG202I, pJG4-5I; S. Hanes, Wadsworth Institute, Albany - pSH18-34, pSH17-4; R. Brent, Dept. of Molecular Biology, MGH, Boston - pRB1840; R. Finley, Wayne State University, Detroit - pRFHM1, RFY206; Vojtek A.B., and Hollenberg, S.M, Fred Hatchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle - L40.  Ø