Patent ID: 7192728

Claim:
A method of identifying an agent that modulates the activation of a pro-caspase by X chromosome linked IAP (XIAP), or fragment thereof containing the BIR domains of said XIAP, comprising the steps of: a) contacting in vitro a pro-caspase selected from the group consisting of pro-caspase-3, pro-caspase-7 and pro-caspase-9 and the XIAP, or fragment thereof containing the BIR domains of said XIAP, wherein the XIAP or fragment inhibits activation of the pro-caspase, under conditions that allow activation of the pro-caspase in the absence of the XIAP or fragment, and an agent suspected of being able to modulate caspase inhibitory activity of the XIAP or fragment thereof; and b) detecting caspase activity, wherein caspase activity identifies an agent that modulates the regulation of activation of the pro-caspase by the XIAP or fragment thereof.