High-throughput cell-based assays in yeast

With the sequencing of many genomes now completed, biologists are faced with the challenge of deciphering the function and association of an immense number of predicted proteins. Comprehension of the networks of proteins and chemicals that comprise the cells and tissues of an organism, and the specific roles of proteins in these networks, will be a necessary next step to understanding cellular function in healthy and diseased states. In the past decade, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has emerged as an important tool for large-scale functional genomics analyses. This review describes the use of yeast cell-based assays in the post-genomic era, focusing on high-throughput functional genomics and drug discovery.