Patent ID: 7052853

Claim:
A method of screening for drug candidates useful in treating depression, said method comprising: measuring, in the presence and absence of a test compound, a apoptosome activation of an apoptosome comprising wild-type APAF1 having SEQ ID NO:2, an APAF1 having SEQ ID NO:3, or an APAF1 having an amino acid substitution at a position selected from the group consisting of (a) Cys 450; (b) Gln 465; (c) Glu 777; (d) Asn 782; (e) Thr 953; (f) Leu 415; (g) Ser 357; (h) Asp 479; and (i) Glu at position 625; wherein if the level of apoptosome activation is less in the presence of said test compound than in the absence of said test compound then said test compound is a drug candidate for treating depression.