Isolation and identification of protein partners in multi-protein complexes are important in gaining further insights into the cellular roles of proteins and determining the possible mechanisms by which proteins have an effect in the molecular environment. The tandem affinity purification (TAP) method was originally developed in yeast for the purification of protein complexes and identification of protein-protein interactions. With modifications to this method and many variations in the original tag made over the past few years, the TAP system could be applied in mammalian, plant, bacteria and other systems for protein complex analysis. In this review, we describe the application of the TAP method in various organisms, the modification in the tag, the disadvantages, the developments and the future prospects of the TAP method.
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