Abstract: Presenilin Associated Membrane Protein (PAMP), and nucleic acids encoding this protein, are provided. PAMP and PAMP nucleic acids provide diagnostic and therapeutic tools for evaluating and treating or preventing neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. In a specific embodiment, mutations in PAMP are diagnostic for schizophrenia. The invention further relates to screening, particularly using high-throughput screens and transgenic animal models, for compounds that modulate the activity of PAMP and presenilins. Such compounds, or gene therapy with PAMP, can be used in treating neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia. In addition, the invention provides PAMP mutants, nucleic acids encoding for PAMP mutants, and transgenic animals expressing PAMP mutants, which in a preferred aspect result in biochemical, morphological, or neuropsychological changes similar to those associated with schizophrenia.

Abstract: The invention relates to modulators of ?-secretase and to methods and uses related thereto. In one embodiment the modulators do not modulate ?-secretase activity. In another embodiment the invention relates to presenilin complex component. In one embodiment the presenilin component is TMP21.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for identifying substances that alter the interaction of a presenilin protein with a presenilin-binding protein, including contacting at least the interacting domain of a presenilin protein to a presenilin-binding protein in the presence of a test substance, and measuring the interaction of the presenilin protein and the presenilin-binding protein. Also disclosed is method for identifying substances that modulate the nuclear translocation of an armadillo protein, including providing a culture of cells that express the armadillo protein and a mutant presenilin protein, or a functional fragment thereof that binds an armadillo protein; contacting the culture with a test substance; inducing nuclear translocation of the armadillo protein in the cells; and measuring levels of nuclear armadillo protein as compared to a control as an indication of modulatory activity of the test substance.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for diagnosing Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, using genetic markers that are implicated in severe, early-onset Crohn's Disease (CD). The invention also provides coding sequence mutations in the OCTN1 gene that significantly reduces its ability to transport the organic cation carnitine. The invention further provides mutations in the promoter region of OCTN2 (that downregulates both basal transcription and transcription induced either by heat shock or arachidonic acid. This transcription difference is apparently due to the disruption of a binding site for heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF 1). A haplotype of two mutations is found in Crohn's Disease (CD) patients. Together, these mutations reduce cellular ability to respond to metabolic stress in inflamed tissue and may further be involved in the clearance of toxic substances from cells.

Abstract: Presenilin Associated Membrane Protein (PAMP), and nucleic acids encoding this protein, are provided. PAMP and PAMP nucleic acids provide diagnostic and therapeutic tools for evaluating and treating or preventing neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. In a specific embodiment, mutations in PAMP are diagnostic for schizophrenia. The invention further relates to screening, particularly using high-throughput screens and transgenic animal models, for compounds that modulate the activity of PAMP and presenilins. Such compounds, or gene therapy with PAMP, can be used in treating neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia. In addition, the invention provides PAMP mutants, nucleic acids encoding for PAMP mutants, and transgenic animals expressing PAMP mutants, which in a preferred aspect result in biochemical, morphological, or neuropsychological changes similar to those associated with schizophrenia.

Abstract: The present invention describes the identification, isolation, cloning, and determination of the Alzheimer Related Membrane Protein (ARMP) gene on chromosome 14 and a related gene, E5-1, on chromosome 1. Normal and mutant copies of both genes are presented. Transcripts and products of these genes are useful in detecting and diagnosing Alzheimer's disease, developing therapeutics for treatment of Alzheimer's disease, as well as the isolation and manufacture of the protein and the construction of transgenic animals expressing the mutant genes.

Abstract: Presenilin Associated Membrane Protein (PAMP), and nucleic acids encoding this protein, are provided. PAMP and PAMP nucleic acids provide diagnostic and therapeutic tools for evaluating and treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases. In a specific embodiment, mutations in PAMP are diagnostic for Alzheimer's Disease or spina bifida. The invention further relates to screening, particularly using high-throughput screens and transgenic animal models, for compounds that modulate the activity of PAMP and presenilins. Such compounds, or gene therapy with PAMP, can be used in treating neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's Disease. In addition, the invention provides PAMP mutants, nucleic acids encoding for PAMP mutants, and transgenic animals expressing PAMP mutants, which in a preferred aspect result in biochemical changes similar to those induced by mutations in &bgr;APP, PS1, or PS2, associated with familial Alzheimer's disease.