A Yeast Bioassay for Androgenic and Anti-Androgenic Compounds Based on the NH sub(2)- and COOH-Terminal Interaction of Androgen Receptor

Androgenic compounds induce an interaction between the NH sub(2)- and COOH-terminal regions (N-C interaction) of androgen receptor (AR). We describe a rapid yeast bioassay for androgenic and anti-androgenic compounds based on androgen-dependent beta -catenin-enhanced N-C interaction. The bioassay was also effective at detecting compounds that inhibit the N-C interaction in ways that do not involve binding to the ligand-binding domain.