Identifying Protein-protein Interaction Sites Using Peptide Arrays

Summary

Peptide array screening is a high throughput assay for identifying protein-protein interaction sites. This allows mapping multiple interactions of a target protein and can serve as a method for identifying sites for inhibitors that target a protein. Here we describe a protocol for screening and analyzing peptide arrays.

Abstract

Protein-protein interactions mediate most of the processes in the living cell and control homeostasis of the organism. Impaired protein interactions may result in disease, making protein interactions important drug targets. It is thus highly important to understand these interactions at the molecular level. Protein interactions are studied using a variety of techniques ranging from cellular and biochemical assays to quantitative biophysical assays, and these may be performed either with full-length proteins, with protein domains or with peptides. Peptides serve as excellent tools to study protein interactions since peptides can be easily synthesized and allow the focusing on specific interaction sites. Peptide arrays enable the identification of the interaction sites between two proteins as well as screening for peptides that bind the target protein for therapeutic purposes. They also allow high throughput SAR studies. For identification of binding sites, a typical peptide array usually contains partly overlapping 10-20 residues peptides derived from the full sequences of one or more partner proteins of the desired target protein. Screening the array for binding the target protein reveals the binding peptides, corresponding to the binding sites in the partner proteins, in an easy and fast method using only small amount of protein.

In this article we describe a protocol for screening peptide arrays for mapping the interaction sites between a target protein and its partners. The peptide array is designed based on the sequences of the partner proteins taking into account their secondary structures. The arrays used in this protocol were Celluspots arrays prepared by INTAVIS Bioanalytical Instruments. The array is blocked to prevent unspecific binding and then incubated with the studied protein. Detection using an antibody reveals the binding peptides corresponding to the specific interaction sites between the proteins.

Introduction

Protein-protein interactions mediate most of the processes in the living cell. Impaired protein interactions may result in disease, making protein interactions important drug targets. It is thus highly important to understand these interactions at the molecular level. Protein interactions are studied using a variety of techniques ranging from cellular and biochemical assays to quantitative biophysical assays, and these may be performed either with full-length proteins, with protein domains or with peptides. Peptides serve as excellent tools to study protein interactions. This is because peptides can be easily synthesized and allow the focusing on a specific interactio....

Protocol

1. Designing a Peptide Array

1. Divide the sequence of the target protein into partly overlapping 10-20 residues peptides. Vary the amount of overlap on the specific experiment and the resources of the performing lab, but in principle the longer the overlap the better. When designing the peptides take into account known secondary structure elements in the protein that can be responsible for the interaction.
2. Order the designed peptide array through commercial vendors. Here, use peptides covalently bound to the array through the C-terminus.

2. Blocking Non-specific Binding

1. Make a 50 mM Tris or Phosphate b....

Results

STIL is a highly important centrosomal protein. It controls normal cell division and cell proliferation^13,15–19. STIL interacts with several proteins ^18,20,21, and most of the interactions occur through its central part, which is an intrinsically disordered region (IDR)¹⁴. We designed an array composed of peptides derived from the STIL binding protein CHFR. CHFR is a tumor suppressor that is induced in response to mitotic stress²². Since the structure of t.......

Discussion

Peptide array screening is an excellent tool for identifying the binding sites of a target protein in its partners. This assay is fast and easy to perform and the results can be obtained in one or two working days. Peptide array screening is versatile and can be used for many purposes. It can be used for characterizing post translation modifications such as phosphorylation and identifying substrates of kinases. For example: the FLT3 kinase, which is related to acute myeloid leukemia, phosphorylates Tyr-containing substra.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Peptide array	INTAVIS Bioanalytical Instruments
His-probe Antibody (H-3) HRP	Santa Cruz Biotechnology	sc-8036 HRP
EZ-ECL Kit	Biological industries	20-500-120
Skim Milk	Becton, Dickinson and Company	232100
LAS-3000 camera	FUJI film