Abstract
The specific binding of transcription factors (TF) determines in a large part the connectivity of gene regulatory networks as well as the quantitative level of gene expression. A multiplicity of both experimental and computational methods is currently used to discover and characterize the underlying TF-DNA interactions. Experimental methods can be further subdivided into in vitro- and in vivo-based approaches, each accenting different aspects of TF binding events. In this review we summarize the flexibility and performance of a selection of both types of experimental methods. In conclusion, we argue that a serial combination of methods with different throughput and information content constitutes an optimal experimental strategy.