Patent ID: 7504227
Filing Date: 2009-03-17
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of identifying an agent for diminishing cellular toxicity associated with an α-synuclein polypeptide of Parkinson's Disease, comprising: contacting a first yeast cell with a candidate agent, wherein the first cell expresses an α-synuclein polypeptide and a wild-type YPK1 gene, and wherein expression of the α-synuclein polypeptide is toxic to the cell; contacting a second yeast cell with the candidate agent, wherein the second cell expresses the α-synuclein polypeptide and does not express the wild-type YPK1 gene; and determining for the first and second cells the level of a biological activity or characteristic associated with the toxicity of the α-synuclein polypeptide, wherein the biological activity or characteristic associated with the toxicity is selected from the group consisting of decreased cell viability relative to a cell that does not express the α-synuclein polypeptide and formation of inclusion bodies in the cell, whereby if the first cell (a) exhibits a decrease of the biological activity or characteristic relative to a control cell that has not been contacted with the candidate agent and (b) does not exhibit a decrease of the biological activity or characteristic relative to the second cell, the candidate agent is identified as an agent for diminishing the cellular toxicity associated with the α-synuclein polypeptide.