Nucleic acids and polypeptides of invertebrate TWIK channels and methods of use

US6511824B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Exelixis, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Andrew Roy Buchman · Berkeley, US
• Christian Burks · Berkeley, US
• Helen Francis-Lang · San Francisco, US
• Lucile A. Gillett · San Mateo, US
• Jonathan Heller · San Francisco, US
• Casey Kopczynski · Chapel Hill, US
• Jonathan S. MARGOLIS · Davis, US
• Darren M. Platt · Emeryville, US
• Bindu Priya Reddy · San Francisco, US
• Candace Swimmer · San Francisco, US
• John W. Winslow · El Granada, US
• Yuling Luo · San Ramon, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 28, 1999
• Grant date: Jan 28, 2003
• Expiry date: Jul 28, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A01K2217/075
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Tandem pore domain weak inward rectifying K+ (TWIK) channel nucleic acids and proteins that have been isolated from Drosophila melanogaster and Leptinotarsa are described. The TWIK channel nucleic acids and proteins can be used to genetically modify metazoan invertebrate organisms, such as insects, coelomates, and pseudocoelomates, or cultured cells, resulting in TWIK channel expression or mis-expression. The genetically modified organisms or cells can be used in screening assays to identify candidate compounds which are potential pesticidal agents or therapeutics that interact with TWIK channel proteins. They can also be used in methods for studying TWIK channel activity and identifying other genes that modulate the function of, or interact with, the TWIK channel gene.