Yeast screens for treatment of human disease

A method of screening for a therapeutic agent for Parkinson's disease comprising:

• a) contacting a yeast cell expressing a polypeptide comprising an alpha synuclein polypeptide with a composition comprising a toxicity inducing agent;
• b) contacting the yeast cell with a candidate compound;
• and
• c) evaluating the yeast cell for viability, wherein viability indicates the candidate compound is a candidate therapeutic agent.

A method of treating a patient with Parkinson's disease comprising administering an effective amount of a therapeutic agent to the patient, wherein the therapeutic agent was identified by a process comprising:

• a) contacting a yeast cell expressing a polypeptide comprising an alpha synuclein polypeptide with a composition comprising a toxicity inducing agent;
• b) contacting the yeast cell with a candidate compound;
• and
• c) evaluating the yeast cell for viability, wherein viability indicates the candidate compound is a candidate therapeutic agent.

A method of screening for a therapeutic agent for Huntington's disease comprising:

• a) contacting a yeast cell with a candidate compound, wherein the yeast cell expresses a polypeptide comprising a huntingtin polypeptide;
• b) incubating the yeast cell under conditions that allow for aggregation of the polypeptide;
• c) measuring the aggregation of the polypeptide;
• and comparing the level of aggregation with the level of aggregation in a yeast cell not contacted with the candidate compound.

A method of screening for a therapeutic agent for Parkinson's disease comprising:

• a) contacting a yeast cell with a candidate compound, wherein the yeast cell expresses a polypeptide comprising an alpha synuclein polypeptide;
• b) incubating the yeast cell under conditions that allow for aggregation of the polypeptide;
• c) measuring the aggregation of the polypeptide;
• and
• d) comparing the level of aggregation with the level of aggregation in a yeast cell not contacted with the candidate compound, wherein a relative decrease in the level of aggregation in the yeast cell contacted with the candidate compound indicates the candidate compound is a candidate therapeutic agent.