Patent ID: 6890709

Claim:
An assay method for an agent which affects E2F acetylation, the method including: (a) treating an acetylated E2F polypeptide or an acetylated E2F peptide with a test compound, or (b) treating with a test compound an E2F polypeptide or an acetylated E2F peptide which comprises one or more lysine residues corresponding to those found at positions 117, 120 and 125 in wild-type E2F1, in which polypeptide or peptide one or more of said lysines is not acetylated, or (c) bringing into contact a substance which includes a P/CAF polypeptide which acetylates E2F, a substance which includes an E2F polypeptide or an E2F peptide including a site acetylated by P/CAF, and a test compound; and, following step a, b or c, (d) determining acetylation of the E2F polypeptide or E2F peptide, wherein said E2F polypeptide has a sequence selected from the group consisting of the human E2F1, E2F2, E2F3, E2F4 and E2F5 sequences, said E2F peptide is a peptide fragment of a sequence selected from the group consisting of the human E2F1, E2F2, E2F3, E2F4 and E2F5 sequences, and; said P/CAF polypeptide has the sequence of human P/CAF.