Patent ID: 8642259

Claim:
A method utilizing a double reporter gene assay for improving the signal-to-background ratio to identify an agent that modulates the activity of a target molecule comprising the steps of: a) contacting a yeast cell in a medium lacking histidine with a candidate compound, wherein the cell comprises the target molecule, and wherein the cell further comprises a growth marker reporter gene and an enzymatic reporter gene coding for an enzyme whose activity is detectable on the basis of conversion of a substrate, wherein the growth marker reporter gene is HIS3 gene under the control of FUS 1 promoter, and the enzymatic reporter gene is LacZ gene under the control of YNL279w promoter; b) adding the substrate chlorophenolred-β-D-galactopyranoside (CPRG) and a substance capable of permeabilizing the membrane of the cell after the contacting step a); c) measuring cell propagation and measuring the activity of the enzymatic report gene.