Methods for enhancing exercise performance

A method of identifying an agent having potential to enhance exercise performance in a subject, comprising:

• providing a first component comprising a PPARδ receptor or an AMPK-binding fragment thereof;
• providing a second component comprising an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), AMPKα1, AMPKα2, or a PPARδ-binding fragment of any thereof;
• contacting the first component and the second component with at least one test agent under conditions that would permit the first component and the second component to specifically bind to each other in the absence of the at least one test agent;
• and
• determining whether the at least one test agent affects specific binding of the first component and the second component to each other, wherein an effect on specific binding identifies the at least one test agent as an agent having potential to enhance exercise performance in a subject.