Introductory Chapter: Protein-Protein Interactions and Assays

Abstract

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) control variety of biological phenomena including development, cell to cell interactions and metabolic processes [1]. The PPIs can be classified into different groups, depending upon their functional and structural properties [2]. Depending upon their persistence, (1) they may be termed as permanent or transient, as characterized by their interaction surface, (2) they may be considered as heterooligomeric or homooligomeric based on their stability, and (3) they may be called as obligate or nonobligate [3]. A blend of these three pairs may develop a protein-protein interaction. For example, a permanent interaction of the protein may be able to form a stable protein complex while on the other hand a transient interaction among the proteins may form a signaling pathway [4].