Patent ID: 7429448

Claim:
A method for screening a candidate ligand molecule, comprising: a) preparing a biological material comprising a cell sample, cell homogenate, or a tissue sample; b) incubating the biological material of a) in the presence of (i) 10 −10 -10 −5 M of a candidate ligand molecule under conditions suitable for activation of adenylate cyclase and in the presence of a submaximal concentration of QHNPR (SEQ ID NO: 1) peptide; and c) measuring adenylate cyclase activity present in the biological material of a), respectively, in the presence or in the absence of the candidate ligand molecule and in the presence or in the absence of a submaximal concentration of the peptide QHNPR (SEQ ID NO: 1), and d) selecting a ligand molecule which increases or decreases adenylate cyclase activity induced in the biological material of a) by the peptide QHNPR (SEQ ID NO: 1).