Patent ID: 7517667

Claim:
A method of identifying a compound that is capable of inhibiting cell death in a mammal comprising the following steps: a) isolating, from a mammalian cell, an early endosome comprising a toxin selected from the group consisting of Diptheria toxin, Botulinum toxin, Anthrax toxin Lethal Factor (LF), and Anthrax toxin Edema Factor (EF); b) placing said endosomes in a cytosolic buffer; c) contacting said endosomes with a cytosolic translocation factor complex, comprising beta-COP; d) contacting said endosomes with said compound; e) acidifying said endosome; and f) measuring translocation of said toxin, wherein a decreased level of said translocation relative to that observed in the absence of said compound indicates that said compound is capable of inhibiting said cell death.