Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions relating to pen polypeptides having pen-specific structure and activity, related polynucleotides and modulators of pen function. The invention provides isolated pen hybridization probes and primers capable of specifically hybridizing with natural pen genes, pen-specific binding agents such as specific antibodies, and methods of making and using the subject compositions in diagnosis (e.g. genetic hybridization screens for pen transcripts), therapy (e.g. pen inhibitors to modulate APP processing) and in the biopharmaceutical industry (e.g. as immunogens, reagents for screening chemical libraries for lead pharmacological agents, etc.).

Abstract: The present invention relates to Drosophila genes and methods for their use. The invention provides nucleotide sequences of Drosophila genes, amino acid sequences of the encoded proteins, and derivatives (e.g., fragments) and analogs thereof. The invention further relates to fragments (and derivatives and analogs thereof) of proteins which comprise one or more domains of a Drosophila protein. Antibodies to Drosophila proteins, and derivatives and analogs thereof, are also provided. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising such nucleic acids. Methods of production of a Drosophila protein (e.g., by recombinant means), and derivatives and analogs thereof, are provided. Chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising polypeptides of the invention fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences are provided. Methods to identify the biological function of a Drosophila gene are provided, including various methods for the functional modification (e.g.

Abstract: The present invention relates to D. melangaster insulin-like genes and methods for identifying insulin-like genes. The methods provide nucleotide sequences of D. melangaster insulin-like genes, amino acid sequences of their encoded proteins, and derivatives (e.g., fragments) and analogs thereof. The invention further relates to fragments (and derivatives and analogs thereof) of insulin-like proteins which comprise one or more domains of an insulin-like protein. Antibodies to an insulin-like protein, and derivatives and analogs thereof, are provided. Methods of production of an insulin-like protein (e.g., by recombinant means), and derivatives and analogs thereof, are provided. Further, methods to identify the biological function of a D. melangaster insulin-like gene are provided, including various methods for the functional modification (e.g., overexpression, underexpression, mutation, knock-out) of one or more genes simultaneously. Still further, methods to identify a D.