Studying Heterologous Transcription Factors in Yeast

Abstract Functional assays of heterologous proteins in yeast can be very productive. Yeast can produce and localize most eukaryotic proteins faithfully. And heterologous proteins often interact productively with the basic metabolic machinery of yeast. Moreover, the advanced techniques of yeast genetics permit the conversion of such interactions into simple genetic or enzymatic activities. Thus, yeast can be used for functional screens of cDNA libraries and for detailed structure-function studies of cloned genes. Here we focus on strategies and methods for studying heterologous transcription factors in yeast. We present critical considerations in the design of library screens and routine reporter gene assays, and we describe vectors and protocols that have proven useful for these types of studies.