The Ras Recruitment System (RRS) for the Identification and Characterization of Protein-Protein Interactions

Protein-protein interactions are the basis for all biochemical cellular activities. The Ras Recruitment System, RRS, is a method for studying interactions between known proteins as well as identification of novel interactions following a cDNA library screen. The method is based on the recruitment of the Ras protein to the plasma membrane via protein-protein interactions. The interaction between proteins is studied in a temperature-sensitive yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant strain. This mutant is able to grow under restrictive temperature conditions when the Ras viability pathway becomes activated as a result of a positive protein-protein interaction. The RRS complements the limitations and problems that arise from the yeast two-hybrid system.