Patent ID: 8067180

Claim:
A method of identifying a candidate RAC, axin, and beta-catenin pathways modulating agent, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an assay system comprising a Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 36, 37, 38 and 40 or nucleic acid comprising SEQ ID NO: 1, 10, 12, 13, 21, and 29, wherein the assay system is capable of detecting the activity or expression of MAPK; (b) contacting the assay system with a test agent that modulates the activity or expression of MAPK; and (c) determining the activity or expression of the MAPK polypeptide or nucleic acid in the assay system in the presence or absence of the test agent of step (b), wherein a change in MAPK activity or expression between the presence and absence of the test agent identifies the test agent as a candidate RAC, axin, and beta-catenin pathways modulating agent; (d) providing a second assay system comprising cultured cells or a non-human animal expressing MAPK and capable of detecting change in the RAC, axin, and beta-catenin pathways; (e) contacting the second assay system with the test agent of (b); and (f) measuring the Rac, axin, and beta-catenin pathways in the presence or absence of the test agent, wherein the detection of a difference in the presence and absence of the test agent confirms the test agent as a RAC, axin, and beta-catenin pathways modulating agent.