Patent ID: 7595158

Claim:
A method for identifying a compound that reduces Bc12L12 polypeptide-induced inhibition of caspase-7 polypeptide activation, said method comprising: (a) contacting a sample with a test compound, wherein said sample comprises a caspase-7 polypeptide and a Bc12L12 polypeptide, wherein said Bc12L12 polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having a length of 150 or more amino acid residues with at least about 85 percent identity over said length to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or 2, and (b) determining whether or not the presence of said test compound increases caspase-7 polypeptide activation in said sample to a level greater than the level of caspase-7 polypeptide activation in a control sample lacking said test compound, wherein an increase in caspase-7 polypeptide activation in said sample indicates that said test compound is said compound that reduces Bc12L12 polypeptide-induced inhibition of caspase-7 polypeptide activation.