meanwhile, back at the ranch..... core patent issues, first claim sounding great.........
US6159705: Recombinant yeast cells for identifying receptor effectors
Inventor(s): Trueheart; Joshua , Concord, MA
Paul; Jeremy I. , Nyack, NY
Fuernkranz; Hans A. , San Jose, CA
Nathan; Debra , Mt. Kisco, NY
Holmes; Scott , Middlebury, CT
Applicant(s): Cadus Pharmaceutical Corporation, New York, NY
Issued/Filed Dates: Dec. 12, 2000 / Sept. 24, 1997
Application Number: US1997000936632
Abstract: The present invention makes available a rapid, effective assay for
screening and identifying pharmaceutically effective compounds that
specifically interact with and modulate the activity of a cellular
protein, e.g., a receptor or ion channel. The subject assay enables
rapid screening of large numbers of compounds to identify those
which act as an agonist or antagonist to the bioactivity of the cellular
protein. The subject assay is particularly amenable for identifying
surrogate ligands for receptors especially from small molecule or
peptide libraries or from peptides produced by an autocrine system.
What is claimed is:
1. An assay for identifying a compound that modulates a heterologous receptor expressed by a yeast
cell comprising:
i) providing a yeast cell which expresses a heterologous receptor which is functionally integrated
into an endogenous yeast signaling pathway, wherein said yeast cell comprises an endogenous
gene operatively linked to a heterologous promoter at the natural location of said endogenous
gene in said yeast cell, said promoter being responsive to signals produced by said yeast
signaling pathway;
ii) contacting the yeast cell with a test compound; and
iii) detecting an alteration in a signal produced by the endogenous yeast gene;
to thereby identify a compound that modulates the heterologous receptor. |
