Abstract: The present invention describes a process for detecting threonine or serine kinase activity in an immunoassay using a pre-phosphorylated substrate.

Abstract: Polynucleotide and polypeptide sequences are described. The polypeptide sequences comprise one or more of: (a) a polypeptide having the deduced amino acid sequence translated from the polynucleotide sequence in SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 5 and variants, fragments, homologues, analogues and derivatives thereof; (b) a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 and variants, fragments, homologues, analogues and derivatives thereof; (c) a polypeptide encoded by the cDNA of NCIMB 41110 and variants, fragments, homologues, analogues and derivatives thereof; or (d) a polypeptide which has at least 78% identity to (i) the polypeptide encoded by the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 5, (ii) the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, or (iii) the polypeptide encoded by the cDNA of NCIMB 41110. Such polypeptide sequences are, inter alia, useful in the prophylaxis and/or treatment of sexual dysfunction, in particular male erectile dysfunction (MED) or female sexual dysfunction (FSD), preferably female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD).

Abstract: An assay method for determining binding of a test compound to pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDHK) at a given site comprising determining (a) the degree of polarisation of the light emitted by a PDHK complex formed by contacting in solution a known concentration of PDHK with a known concentration of a fluorescent compound known to bind to PDHK at that site, and (b) the degree of polarisation of the light emitted by a PDHK complex formed by contacting in solution the test compound, the same concentration of PDHK and the same concentration of the fluorescent compound, a lesser value of the degree of polarisation (b) than that of (a) being taken as indicative of binding of the test compound to that site.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for identifying agents, which bind to and/or modulate exopeptidases or endopeptidases, preferably human soluble secreted endopeptidase (SEP), oxytocinase, neutral endopeptidase (NEP), or non-human SEP, preferably comprising contacting said agents with a polypeptide comprising: SEQ ID NO: 2, an amino acid sequence encoded by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 5; or a polypeptide encoded by the cDNA of NCIMB 41110, and determining whether binding and/or modulation occurs. Preferably, said method is carried out in the presence of a substrate peptide labelled with at least one fluorescent donor dye and at least one fluorescence acceptor dye, with the method used to detect said agents being a competitive binding Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) assay.

Abstract: Polynucleotide and polypeptide sequences are described. The polypeptide sequences comprise one or more of: (a) a polypeptide having the deduced amino acid sequence translated from the polynucleotide sequence in SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 5 and variants, fragments, homologues, analogues and derivatives thereof; (b) a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 and variants, fragments, homologues, analogues and derivatives thereof; (c) a polypeptide encoded by the cDNA of NCIMB 41110 and variants, fragments, homologues, analogues and derivatives thereof; or (d) a polypeptide which has at least 78% identity to (i) the polypeptide encoded by the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 5, (ii) the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, or (iii) the polypeptide encoded by the cDNA of NCIMB 41110. Such polypeptide sequences are, inter alia, useful in the prophylaxis and/or treatment of sexual dysfunction, in particular male erectile dysfunction (MED) or female sexual dysfunction (FSD), preferably female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD).

Abstract: The present invention describes a process for detecting threonine or serine kinase activity in an immunoassay using a pre-phosphorylated substrate.