Patent ID: 7932049

Claim:
A method for identifying an agent capable of modulating the physical interaction between c-jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK-1) or a mammalian ortholog thereof and DAF-16 or a mammalian ortholog thereof, comprising: contacting a cell with a test agent, said cell expressing JNK-1 or a mammalian ortholog thereof and DAF-16 or a mammalian ortholog thereof; and detecting physical interaction between said JNK-1 or mammalian ortholog thereof and said DAF-16 or mammalian ortholog thereof by examining the N-terminal phosphorylation and nuclear localization of said DAF-16 or mammalian ortholog thereof in the presence of said test agent as compared to a control cell to which no agent has been added; wherein an increase in the N-terminal phosphorylation and nuclear localization of said DAF-16 or mammalian ortholog thereof in the presence of said test agent identifies said agent as increasing the physical interaction between said DAF-16 or mammalian ortholog thereof and said JNK-1 or mammalian ortholog thereof, and wherein a decrease in the N-terminal phosphorylation and nuclear localization of said DAF-16 or mammalian ortholog thereof in the presence of said test agent identifies said agent as decreasing the physical interaction between said DAF-16 or mammalian ortholog thereof and said JNK-1 or mammalian ortholog thereof.