MAP kinases: polypeptides, polynucleotides and uses thereof
AssigneeMedical Research Council
InventorsPhilip Cohen, Michel Goedert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of identifying a compound which blocks the activation of a stress-activated protein kinase selected from the group consisting of SAPK4 and SAPK3 by SKK3. The method includes contacting the stress-activated protein kinase with the compound and determining whether the compound enhances or disrupts the interaction between the stress-activated protein kinase and SKK3. The invention further relates to a screening assay, a method of identifying agents able to influence the activity of a stress-activated protein kinase and a method of activating a stress-activated protein kinase.
Claims10
A method of identifying a compound which blocks the activation of a stress-activated protein kinase selected from the group consisting of SAPK4, SAPK3/ERK6/p38γ, variants thereof having at least 80% identity with SAPK4 or SAPK3/ERK6/p38γ, and fusions thereof by SKK3/MKK6/MEK6, the method comprising:
- contacting the stress-activated protein kinase with the compound and
- determining whether the compound enhances or disrupts the interaction between said stress-activated protein kinase and SKK3/MKK6/MEK6.
A method of identifying a compound which blocks the activation of a stress-activated protein kinase selected from the group consisting of SAPK4, SAPK3/ERK6/p38γ, variants thereof having at least 80% identity with SAPK4 or SAPK3/ERK6/p38γ, and fusions thereof by SKK3/MKK6/MEK6, the method comprising:
- contacting the stress-activated protein kinase with the compound and
- determining whether the compound blocks activation of the stress-activated protein kinase by SKK3/MKK6/MEK6 wherein the variants thereof having at least 80% identity with SAPK4 or SAPK3/ERK6/p38γ or fusion thereof is capable of phosphorylating myelin basic protein and is not inhibited by SB 203 580 or SB 202 190 and has the amino acid sequence TGY in the activation domain.
A kit for screening for compounds which block the activation of a stress activated protein kinase by SKK3/MKK6/MEK6, the kit comprising:
- (i) a stress activated protein kinase selected from the group consisting of SAPK4, SAPK3/ERK6/p38γ, variants thereof having at least 80% identity with SAPK4 or SAPK3/ERK6/p38γ, and fusions thereof;
- and
- (ii) SKK3/MKK6/MEK6.
A method of identifying agents able to influence the activity of a stress-activated protein kinase selected from the group consisting of SAPK4 and SAPK3/ERK6/p38γ, said method comprising:
- contacting the stress-activated protein to SKK3/MKK6/MEK6;
- contacting a test substance to the stress-activated protein kinase in the presence of a substrate for the stress-activated protein kinase;
- and
- detecting whether said substrate has been phosphorylated.
A method of activating a stress-activated protein kinase selected from the group consisting of SAPK4, SAPK3/ERK6/p38γ, variants thereof having at least 80% identity with SAPK4 or SAPK3/ERK6/p38γ, and fusions thereof, said method comprising:
- incubating the stress-activated protein kinase with SKK3/MKK6/MEK6, wherein the SKK3/MKK6/MEK6 is purified.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.