Fiber-based single cell analysis of reporter gene expression in yeast two-hybrid systems

Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) systems conventionally are used when screening for protein–protein interactions. A recurring problem with Y2H systems is the high prevalence of both false positives and false negatives. Distinguishing between real results and artifacts to characterize a protein–protein interaction properly can often be time-consuming and laborious. In this article, we report a new method for statistically evaluating single cell reporter gene transcriptional activation and expression in yeast two-hybrid systems. The system is based on statistical analysis of many yeast cells contained in a fiber-optic array, allowing for thorough characterization of reporter gene expression at different stringency levels.