Vlaams Interuniversitair Instituut Voor Biotechnologie Vzw

Barbara Janssens

Frans Van Roy

Griet Vanpoucke

Steven Goossens

Ann Van Landschoot

The present invention relates to a novel &#x3b1;-catenin with a new, specific expression pattern in mainly heart and testis. The invention further relates to the use of this &#x3b1;-catenin in the prediction, diagnosis, and/or treatment of cadherin-catenin related diseases, in particular cardiomyopathies and male infertility.

&#x3b1;-catenin expressed in heart and testis

The invention relates to the field of drug discovery, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cancer and neurological disorders. The invention provides among others access to and insight in protein-protein or protein-DNA interactions in a signal transduction or transcriptional pathway controlling cell growth or development throughout a wide range of cells and tissues of the body, and provides means, such as nucleic acid, protein, cells and experimental animals and methods to identify candidate drugs, for example for use in therapy of cancer or neurological disorders. As an example of an alpha-catenin-binding protein with function in intracellular signalling or gene regulation, the invention provides an isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acid or a functional fragment, homologue or derivative thereof, corresponding to a zinc finger gene with a nucleic acid sequence as shown in FIG. 1 and encoding a zinc finger protein, or fragment thereof, capable of complexing with a neurally expressed catenin.

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Ghent, Belgium

Barbara Janssens