Yeast Resource Center

Yeast Resource Center

Research Emphasis

The complete genome sequence of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has identified approximately 6,000 genes, almost a third of which have not been assigned a function. The concept of this center is to provide a central resource to focus complementary technologies on the analysis of yeast protein complexes using the methods of mass spectrometry, the two-hybrid system, microscopy, and protein structure prediction. Mass spectrometry is used to identify the proteins present in complex mixtures from cells, and the two-hybrid assay finds interacting partners for specific proteins. Microscopy is used to analyze interactions within living cells by fluorescent resonance energy transfer. Protein structure prediction predicts the structure of proteins for which no structural information exists. These technologies can be applied to identify new functions for previously characterized yeast proteins, to implicate novel proteins in various biological processes, and to uncover links between different processes. The center collaborates with yeast biologists working in such research areas as the development of cell polarity, transcriptional control, signaling pathways, response to DNA damage, and protein degradation.

Research Capabilities

Methods

Mulitdimensional protein identification technology, quantitative mass spectrometry, two-hybrid assay, fluorescence resonance energy transfer, ab initio protein structure prediction, and machine learning methods for predicting protein function and protein-protein interactions.

Instruments

Five thermoelectron ion trap mass spectrometers (one LCQ Classic, two LCQ Decas, two LTQs), a Qbot colony picking robot, two Biomek workstations, a DeltaVision Restoration Imaging System with Olympus IX70 inverted fluorescence microscope, a 250-node Beowulf cluster, and an 80-node Beowulf cluster.

Software

Mass spectrometry protein identification software (SEQUEST, PepProb, GutenTag, PepHype, and BiblioSpec), Data filtering and analysis (DTASelect), quantification (RelEx and atomizer), and Protein structure prediction (Rosetta).

Available Resources

The resource collaborates widely to test their technologies. The resource disseminates the two-hybrid array and plasmids for tagging proteins with fluorescent proteins. Contact the resource via its Web site.