Bacterial small-molecule three-hybrid system
First Claim
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1. A method for identifying a molecule that binds a known target receptor in a bacterial cell from a pool of candidate molecules, comprising:
- (a) forming a dimeric molecule by covalently bonding each molecule in the pool of candidate molecules to a ligand capable of selectively binding to a receptor;
(b) introducing the dimeric molecule into a bacterial cell culture comprising bacterial cells that express a first fusion protein which comprises the known target receptor domain against which the candidate molecule is screened, a second fusion protein which comprises the receptor domain to which the ligand selectively binds, and a reporter gene wherein expression of the reporter gene is conditioned on the proximity of the first fusion protein to the second fusion protein;
(c) permitting the dimeric molecule to bind to the first fusion protein and to the second fusion protein, bringing the two fusion proteins into proximity so as to activate the expression of the reporter gene;
(d) selecting the bacterial cell that expresses the reporter gene; and
(e) identifying the small molecule that binds the known target receptor.
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Abstract
A transgenic bacterial cell comprising
- (a) a dimeric small molecule which comprises a first moiety known to bind a first receptor domain covalently linked to a second moiety known to bind a second receptor domain;
- (b) nucleotide sequences which upon transcription encode
- i) a first fusion protein comprising the first receptor domain, and
- ii) a second fusion protein comprising the second receptor domain; and
- (c) a reporter gene wherein expression of the reporter gene is conditioned on the proximity of the first fusion protein to the second fusion protein. The cell is also adapted for use in a method for identifying a molecule that binds to a known target in a bacterial cell from a pool of candidate molecules, and a method for identifying an unknown target receptor to which a molecule is capable of binding in a bacterial cell. Also described are compounds and kits for carrying out the methods.
13 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for identifying a molecule that binds a known target receptor in a bacterial cell from a pool of candidate molecules, comprising:
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(a) forming a dimeric molecule by covalently bonding each molecule in the pool of candidate molecules to a ligand capable of selectively binding to a receptor; (b) introducing the dimeric molecule into a bacterial cell culture comprising bacterial cells that express a first fusion protein which comprises the known target receptor domain against which the candidate molecule is screened, a second fusion protein which comprises the receptor domain to which the ligand selectively binds, and a reporter gene wherein expression of the reporter gene is conditioned on the proximity of the first fusion protein to the second fusion protein; (c) permitting the dimeric molecule to bind to the first fusion protein and to the second fusion protein, bringing the two fusion proteins into proximity so as to activate the expression of the reporter gene; (d) selecting the bacterial cell that expresses the reporter gene; and (e) identifying the small molecule that binds the known target receptor. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 42)
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2. A method for identifying an unknown target receptor to which a known molecule is capable of binding in a bacterial cell, comprising:
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(a) providing a dimeric molecule having a first ligand which has a specificity for the unknown target receptor covalently bonded to a second ligand capable of selectively binding to a receptor; (b) introducing the dimeric molecule into a bacterial cell which expresses a first fusion protein which comprises the unknown target receptor domain, a second fusion protein which comprises the receptor domain to which the second ligand selectively binds, and a reporter gene wherein expression of the reporter gene is conditioned on the proximity of the first fusion protein to the second fusion protein; (c) permitting the dimeric molecule to bind to the first fusion protein and to the second fusion protein so as to activate the expression of the reporter gene; (d) selecting which bacterial cell expresses the unknown target receptor; and (e) identifying the unknown target receptor. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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3. A transgenic bacterial cell comprising
(a) a dimeric small molecule which comprises a methotrexate moiety covalently linked to a moiety capable of binding a receptor domain; -
(b) nucleotide sequences which upon transcription encode i) a first fusion protein comprising a DHFR domain and a first fragment of an enzyme, and ii) a second fusion protein comprising the receptor domain and a second fragment of the enzyme, wherein activity of the enzyme is conditioned on the proximity of the first fragment of the enzyme to the second fragment of the enzyme.
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4. A method for identifying a molecule that binds a known target receptor in a bacterial cell from a pool of candidate molecules, comprising:
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(a) forming a dimeric molecule by covalently bonding each molecule in the pool of candidate molecules to a methotrexate moiety; (b) introducing the dimeric molecule into a bacterial cell culture comprising bacterial cells that express a first fusion protein which comprises the known target receptor domain against which the candidate molecule is screened, and a first fragment of an enzyme, and a second fusion protein which comprises a DHFR receptor domain and a second fragment of the enzyme; (c) permitting the dimeric molecule to bind to the first fusion protein and to the second fusion protein, bringing the first fragment and the second fragment of the enzyme in to proximity so as to reconstitute the activity of the enzyme; (d) selecting the bacterial cell that exhibits the activity of the enzyme; and (e) identifying the small molecule that binds the known target receptor.
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5. A method for identifying an unknown target receptor to which a known molecule is capable of binding in a bacterial cell, comprising:
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(a) providing a dimeric molecule having a first ligand which has a specificity for the unknown target receptor covalently bonded to a methotrexate moiety; (b) introducing the dimeric molecule into a bacterial cell which expresses a first fusion protein which comprises the unknown target receptor domain, and a first fragment of an enzyme, and a second fusion protein which comprises a DHFR receptor domain and a second fragment of the enzyme; (c) permitting the dimeric molecule to bind to the first fusion protein and to the second fusion protein, bringing the first fragment and the second fragment of the enzyme in to proximity so as to reconstitute the activity of the enzyme; (d) selecting the bacterial cell that exhibits the activity of the enzyme; and (e) identifying the unknown target receptor.
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Specification