Cloning sequencing and characterization of two cell death genes and uses therefor

Abstract

Described herein are genes shown to be essential for programmed cell death in C. elegans, their encoded products (RNA and polypeptides), antibodies directed against the encoded polypeptides; probes for identifying structurally related genes and bioassays for identifying functionally related cell death genes from various organisms; methods and agents for altering (increasing or decreasing) the activity of the cell death-genes and, thus, of altering cell death; and uses therefor. Specifically, two genes shown to be essential for almost all of the cell deaths which occur in the development of C. elegans, referred to as ced-3 and ced-4, have been cloned, sequenced and characterized.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.