Abstract: Provided is a method for determining whether an agent is an agonist of the neuron-specific calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1), for consideration of an agonist of NCS-1 as a drug candidate for therapy of a behavioral disorder or for improving learning and/or memory of a subject, said method comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a cell, tissue or non-human animal with an agent to be screened under conditions to permit neuron-specific calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1) activity; and (b) determining NCS-1 activity of said treated cell, tissue or non-human animal, wherein an increase in NCS-1 activity compared with a corresponding control cell, tissue or animal is indicative of an agent which is an agonist of NCS-1.

Abstract: The present invention provides transgenic nematode strains expressing mammalian GPCRs useful for probing the function of a large number of mammalian GPCRs by linking simple nematode behaviors to the activation of mammalian GPCRs. The present invention also relates to methods for identifying substances that activate, antagonize or modulate mammalian GPCRs by determining the behavior of nematodes transgenic for the mammalian GPCRs towards the substances. The present invention particularly relates to nematodes transgenic for mammalian olfactory, taste and vomeronasal receptors and to methods using them.

Abstract: Provided is a method for determining whether an agent is an agonist of the neuron-specific calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1), for consideration of an agonist of NCS-1 as a drug candidate for therapy of a behavioral disorder or for improving learning and/or memory of a subject, said method comprising the steps of: