Patent ID: 8647834

Claim:
A method of screening for a compound capable of inhibiting an enzymatic activity, comprising: incubating a modified cell that expresses at least a first polypeptide and a suitable substrate for the first polypeptide in the presence of at least one test compound or salt thereof; measuring an enzymatic activity of the first polypeptide; comparing said activity with enzymatic activity determined in the absence of the at least one test compound or salt thereof; and selecting a test compound that reduces the enzymatic activity of the first polypeptide; wherein the first polypeptide comprises: (a) an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 11, SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO: 13, SEQ ID NO: 14, SEQ ID NO: 15, SEQ ID NO: 16, SEQ ID NO: 17, SEQ ID NO: 18, SEQ ID NO: 21, and SEQ ID NO: 22, or an amino acid sequence having at least about 95% sequence identity thereto and having glutaminyl cyclase activity; (b) an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, SEQ ID NO: 9, SEQ ID NO: 19, and SEQ ID NO: 20; or (c) a fragment of (a) or (b) wherein said fragment is immunologically reactive and has glutaminyl cyclase activity.