Patent ID: 6403299
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: A61K,C07K,C12N,C12Q

Abstract:
A method for identifying a substance that will modulate the helicase activity of an isolated DEAH-box leflunomide-resistant protein, wherein said protein is encoded by a nucleic acid that hybridizes to a nucleic acid of SEQ ID No. 15 or 17 under stringent conditions, wherein said stringent conditions are 60Â° C. in 0.1Ã—SSC and 0.1% SDS, comprising:(a) transforming a non-leflunomide-resistant cell with a DNA sequence encoding a DEAH-box protein which binds nucleic acid and ATP, and which has helicase activity and ATPase activity, wherein the level of expression of said protein is significantly higher in a leflunomide-resistant cell than in a non-leflunomide-resistant cell, wherein said transformed cell is rendered resistant to leflunomide; (b) culturing the cells in the presence of a high level of leflunomide; (c) determining the ability of said substance to make the cells of step (b) non-leflunomide-resistant, wherein a substance that makes said cells non-leflunomide-resistant modulates the helicase activity of said protein, thereby identifying said substance.