Patent ID: 6953778

Claim:
A method for identifying a candidate compound capable of treating a hematological disorder, comprising: i) combining a compound to be tested with a sample comprising a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: a) a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; and b) a polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3; under conditions suitable for binding of the test compound to the polypeptide; ii) detecting binding of the test compound to the polypeptide to thereby identify a compound which binds to the polypeptide; iii) combining the compound selected in part ii) with primitive erythroid cells expressing the polypeptide; and iv) determining if the primitive erythroid cells differentiate into mature cells of the erythroid lineage; thereby identifying a compound capable of treating a hematological disorder.