Patent ID: 7081344

Claim:
A method for identifying a candidate compound capable of binding to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: a) a polypeptide which is at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein the polypeptide exhibits carboxylesterase activity; and b) a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 95% identical to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3, wherein the polypeptide exhibits carboxylesterase activity; the method comprising: i) combining a compound to be tested with a cell expressing the polypeptide under conditions suitable for binding; ii) assessing the ability of the compound to bind to the polypeptide; and iii) selecting a compound capable of binding to the polypeptide; wherein the cell is selected from the group consisting of a brain cell, a cell derived from spinal cord, and a cell derived from dorsal root ganglion; thereby identifying a candidate compound capable of binding to the polypeptide.