A yeast bioassay for androgenic and anti-androgenic compounds based on the NH2- and COOH-terminal interaction of androgen receptor.

Androgenic compounds induce an interaction between the NH(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 β-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.