Patent ID: 8518635

Claim:
A method for identifying an agent that increases the deacetylase activity of a sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) polypeptide, the method comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a cell expressing a SIRT3 polypeptide and an Acetyl-CoA Synthetase 2 (AceCS2) polypeptide with a candidate agent; and (b) determining the effect, if any, of the candidate agent on the level of acetylated AceCS2 polypeptide in the cell; wherein said determining comprises: i) an immunological assay using an antibody specific for the acetylated AceCS2 polypeptide; ii) detecting acetyl CoA synthetase activity using an enzymatic assay; or iii) detecting an acetylated AceCS2 by mass spectroscopy, wherein a decrease in a first level of acetylated AceCS2 polypeptide in the cell relative to a second level of acetylated AceCS2 polypeptide in a cell, which has not been treated with the candidate agent, is indicative of an agent that increases the deacetylase activity of the SIRT3 polypeptide.