William C Derry

US Patent:

20020007496, Jan 17, 2002

Filed:

May 16, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/860113

Inventors:

Joel Rothman - Santa Barbara CA, US
William Derry - Goleta CA, US

International Classification:

A01K067/033
C07H021/04

US Classification:

800/008000, 536/023200

Abstract:

The present invention identifies a p53 homolog gene, cep-1, and mutations thereof in the nematode which allows for the application of molecular genetic methods to identify new components of the p53 pathway as well as genes that act in parallel to the p53 pathway. cep-1 mutants show elevated physiological germ cell death during normal development. The present invention also provides a simple system with which to perform high-throughput screens for pharmacological agents that suppress the effects of eliminating the cep-1 gene or that enhance its effectiveness when in a mutant state. This strategy should identify agents that selectively kill p53-deficient cells that are resistant to traditional chemotherapeutic regimens and thus block the formation of human tumors that arise when p53 function is compromised.