Trends in Pharmaceutical and Food Sciences I

Identification of protein-protein interactions at the plasma membrane level is essential to comprehend the properties of molecular networks controlling intercellular communication. Since the nineties, it was believed that G protein coupled receptors (GPCR) acted as individual units. Resonance energy transfer techniques have been fundamental in demonstrating the existence of protein-protein interactions, discovering that GPCR can form oligomeric functional units. Sequential resonance energy transfer technique (SRET) has been designed by combining BRET and FRET to demonstrate trimeric complexes formation; and by combining Bimolecular Fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and BRET, BRET with BiFC it has been created a new technique to demonstrate tetrameric complexes. These are two invaluable techniques to identify higher order complexes, which will enable us to better understand how signals are integrated at the molecular level. The use of these techniques should help to design novel compounds for treatment of neurological and mental diseases.