Tumor suppressor pathway in C. elegans

Abstract

The invention provides novel lin-61 genes and polypeptides involved in cell fate determination and in cell proliferation, as well as methods for utilizing these genes, and their encoded polypeptides, in identifying compounds that modulate cell proliferation.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of identifying a compound that modulates cell proliferation, said method comprising: 
 (a) contacting a cell expressing a nucleic acid molecule operably linked to a lin-61 promoter with a candidate compound; and    (b) measuring the expression of said nucleic acid molecule, wherein an alteration in the level of expression of said nucleic acid molecule, relative to a control, indicates the presence of a compound that modulates cell proliferation.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is a lin-61.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is a reporter gene.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises measuring the expression of the protein encoded by said nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said protein is contacted with an antibody that specifically binds to a LIN-61 polypeptide.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises measuring the mRNA level of said nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         7 . A method of identifying a nucleic acid molecule that modulates cell proliferation, said method comprising: 
 (a) expressing in a cell (i) a first nucleic acid molecule operably linked to a first promoter, wherein said first promoter is a lin-61 promoter; and (ii) a second nucleic acid molecule operably linked to a second promoter; and    (b) measuring the expression of said first nucleic acid molecule, wherein a modulation in said expression of said first nucleic acid molecule in the presence of said second nucleic acid molecule, relative to a control, indicates that said second nucleic acid molecules modulates cell proliferation.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said first nucleic acid molecule is a lin-61 nucleic acid molecule.