SPINE (molecular biology)

SPINE (molecular biology)

SPINE stands for Strep-Protein INteraction Experiment and serves in the detection of protein-protein interactions "in vivo". A protein is tagged with a Strep-tag and is expressed in the cell under the conditions where interaction partners are searched. An addition of formaldehyde links the protein to its interaction partners. The complex can then be isolated with a Streptactin column. Since the cross-linking of the proteins with formaldehyde is reversible after heating, the interaction partners of the tagged protein can be detected in an SDS-PAGE.