Methods of testing drugs or agents that modulate the activity of receptor recognition factors

A method of identifying a potential drug that binds to a receptor recognition factor in a target mammalian cell comprising:

• (a) adding the potential drug to the target mammalian cell;
• wherein said target mammalian cell contains the receptor recognition factor;
• and
• (b) detecting the binding of the receptor recognition factor to the potential drug;
• wherein the potential drug is identified by its binding to the receptor recognition factor in the target mammalian cell.

A method of identifying a potential drug that binds to a phosphorylated receptor recognition factor in a target mammalian cell comprising:

• (a) adding a ligand to the target mammalian cell in the presence of the potential drug, wherein the target mammalian cell contains a receptor, and the receptor recognition factor;
• and wherein, the binding of the receptor by the ligand results in the phosphorylation of the receptor recognition factor;
• and
• (b) detecting the binding of the phosphorylated receptor recognition factor to the potential drug;
• wherein the potential drug is identified by its binding to the phosphorylated receptor recognition factor in the target mammalian cell.

A method of identifying a potential drug having the ability to modulate the binding of an activated receptor recognition factor to a DNA ligand in a target mammalian cell comprising:

• (a) adding a small molecule to a target mammalian cell;
• wherein the target mammalian cell contains the activated receptor recognition factor and the DNA ligand;
• wherein in the absence of the small molecule the activated receptor recognition factor is able to bind to the DNA ligand;
• (b) determining the amount of binding between the activated receptor recognition factor and the DNA ligand in the presence of the small molecule;
• and
• (c) comparing the amount of binding in step (b) with the amount of binding determined in the absence of the small molecule;
• wherein the small molecule is identified as a potential drug having the ability to modulate the binding of the activated receptor recognition factor to the DNA ligand in the target mammalian cell when said comparing indicates a change in the amount of binding of the activated receptor recognition factor to the DNA ligand.

A method of identifying a potential drug having the ability to modulate the binding of an activated receptor recognition factor to a DNA ligand in vitro comprising:

• (a) contacting a small molecule with a purified activated receptor recognition factor;
• wherein in the absence of the small molecule the purified activated receptor recognition factor is able to bind to the DNA ligand in vitro;
• (b) determining the amount of binding between the purified activated receptor recognition factor and the DNA ligand in the presence of the small molecule;
• and
• (c) comparing the amount of binding in step (b) with the amount of binding determined in the absence of the small molecule;
• wherein the small molecule is identified as a potential drug having the ability to modulate the binding of the activated receptor recognition factor to the DNA ligand in vitro when said comparing indicates a change in the amount of binding of the activated receptor recognition factor to the DNA ligand.

A method of identifying a potential drug that binds to a receptor recognition factor in vitro comprising:

• (a) contacting the potential drug with the receptor recognition factor in vitro;
• and
• (b) detecting the binding of the receptor recognition factor to the potential drug;
• wherein the potential drug that binds to the receptor recognition factor in vitro is identified.

A method of identifying a potential drug that binds to an activated receptor recognition factor in vitro comprising:

• (a) contacting the potential drug with the activated receptor recognition factor in vitro;
• and
• (b) detecting the binding of the activated receptor recognition factor to the potential drug;
• wherein the potential drug that binds to the activated receptor recognition factor in vitro is identified.