Novel poly(a) polymerase

A method comprising:

• i) introducing an expression vector comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
• 2 or a polypeptide that is at least about 95% identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 2 into a test cell;
• ii) incubating the test cell under conditions that allow expression of the polypeptide;
• iii) isolating messenger RNA sequences from the test cell;
• iv) comparing an amount of the messenger RNA sequences isolated from the test cell with an amount of the same messenger RNA sequences isolated from a control cell;
• v) identifying messenger RNA sequences from the test cell that differ in amount from the same messenger RNA sequences of the control cell.

A method comprising:

• i) introducing an expression vector comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
• 2 or a polypeptide that is at least about 95% identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 2 into a test cell;
• ii) incubating the test cell under conditions that allow expression of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• iii) isolating messenger RNA sequences from the test cell;
• iv) comparing an amount of uncleaved pre-messenger RNA sequences isolated from the test cell with an amount of uncleaved pre-messenger RNA of the same sequences isolated from a control cell;
• v) identifying uncleaved pre-messenger RNA sequence levels of the test cell that differ from the uncleaved pre-messenger RNA sequence levels of the control cell.

A method of modulating a poly(A) polymerase activity of Star-PAP in a cell that produces Star-PAP, comprising:

• contacting the cell with a molecule selected from the group consisting of:
• i) an antibody that specifically binds a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• ii) an antibody that specifically binds to a polypeptide at least about 95% identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• iii) an antibody that specifically binds to a functional fragment of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• iv) an siRNA that specifically binds to SEQ ID NO:
• 1;
• and
• v) a combination thereof.

A method of screening for an agent which modulates the poly(A) polymerase activity of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:

• 2, the method comprising:
• a) exposing the polypeptide to the agent;
• and
• b) determining whether the agent modulates poly(A) polymerase activity.

A method of screening for an agent which modulates the binding of the polypeptide of Star-PAP and PIPKIα comprising:

• a) exposing Star-PAP or the PIPKIα-binding functional fragment thereof to the agent;
• b) exposing PIPKIα or the Star-PAP binding functional fragment thereof to the Star-PAP or functional fragment of step (a);
• and
• c) determining whether the agent inhibits the binding of Star-PAP and PIPKIα.

A method of treating a disease or disorder characterized by aberrant expression of a gene in a patient, wherein the gene is selected from the group consisting of:

• prostate specific antigen (“PSA”), asparagine synthetase (“ASNS”), heme oxygenase (decycling) 1 (“HMOX1” or “HO-1”), active transcription factor 6 (“ATF6”), secretogranin II (“SCG2”), completion of meiotic recombination 1 (“COM1”), cation transport regulator-like 1 (“CHAC1”), stannioclacin 2 (“STC2”), cyclin D1, RAC3, phosphoserine phosphatase (“PSPH”), bicardal, G-Patch, activating signal cointegrator complex 1 (“ASCC1”), nuclear receptor binding SET domain protein 1 (“NSD1”), Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome Candidate 1 gene (“WHSC1”), microfibrillar associated protein 5 (“MFAP5”), β-crystalline A (“β-CryA”), NAD(P)H dehydrogenase, quinine 1 (“NQO1”), glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (“GCLC”), glutathione S-transferase A4 (“GSTA4”), glutamate-cysteine ligase, modifier subunit (“GCLM”), aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, member A3 (“ALDH1A3”), NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) Fe—S protein 1, 75 kDa (NADH-coenzyme Q reductase) (“NDUFS1”), apolipoprotein E (“APOE”), cyclin A1 (“CCNA1”), amyloid beta (A4) precursor-like protein 1 (“APLP1”), ankyrin repeat domain 1 (cardiac muscle) (“ANKRD1”), cyclin E2 (“CCNE2”), peroxiredoxin 1 (“PRDX1”), glutathione s-transferase kappa 1 (“GSTK1”) and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 family (mitochondrial) (“ALDH2”), the method comprising:
• administering to the patient a therapeutic compound which modulates Star-PAP expression, activity, or both, thereby modulating expression of the gene.