Patent ID: 7588901

Claim:
A method of screening for a modulator of N-terminal arginylation activity, comprising: a) contacting at least one potential modulator of N-terminal arginylation activity with a first cell that expresses a first reporter protein, wherein the first reporter protein has an N-terminal aspartic acid, glutamic acid or cysteine residue and a half-life that is affected by arginylation of the N-terminal residue, wherein the N-terminal arginylation activity is mediated by ATE-1 encoded Arg-tRNA-protein transferase; b) measuring the level of the reporter protein expressed by the first cell and the level of reporter protein expressed by a control cell not exposed to the at least one potential modulator; c) comparing the level of the reporter protein expressed by the first cell with the level of reporter protein expressed by the control cell, wherein a difference in levels is indicative of modulation of N-terminal arginylation activity, thereby screening for a modulator of N-terminal arginylation activity.