The present invention relates to methods and kits useful in the identification of modulators of the binding properties of antibodies reactive with one or more members of the insulin receptor family selected from the insulin receptor (IR), the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R), the insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor (IGF2R), the insulin-IGF1 hybrid receptor (IIHR), and the insulin receptor-related receptor (IRRR) and methods for the detection of such antibodies.

Provided herein is a cell-free assay device, sometimes comprising a lipid bilayer and an endopeptidase assay component, for characterizing a pore forming protein. In some embodiments provided herein is an apparatus comprising a pressure system for characterizing an interaction. Also, provided herein are methods for using a cell-free assay device to characterize a pore forming protein and/or a test substance.

Methods, systems, devices and apparatus for use in screening and/or selecting a library of nucleic acid molecules and/or nucleic acid tagged or encoded molecules for binding to or interaction with a target molecule or substance (e.g., for use in new compound or drug discovery) are described. In some embodiments the device comprises: (a) a spatially addressable array, said array comprising a plurality of separate and discrete locations thereon; (b) a plurality of different oligomers operably connected to said spatially addressable array at different ones of said separate and discrete locations; (c) a tag sequence which is complementary to, and is hybridized to, each of said oligomers; and (d) a candidate chemical operably connected to each of said tag sequences, wherein each of said discrete locations is a unique identifier for its corresponding oligomer; and wherein said tag sequence is a unique identifier for its connected candidate chemical.

The present invention relates to mutated CSN5 polypeptides and their use in a method of screening modulators of CSN5 activity that could be used as therapeutic agents.

The present invention provides compositions and methods of use in investigations of the formation of multiprotein assemblies implicated in disease. Also provided are assays for screening candidate compounds of potential utility in preventing and/or treating such diseases by preventing the assembly of or disrupting the function of multiprotein assemblies.

A method for the quantitative characterization of substances with regard to their properties of binding to amyloid-β (Aβ) conformers, comprising the steps of: —fractionating a sample including various Aβ conformers; —immobilizing a biotinylated Aβ conformer of the desired fraction on the surface of a substrate having high affinity for biotin; and —deriving the binding behavior of an aggregate quality control probe to the desired Aβ conformer from the measurement signal by determining the kinetic and/or thermodynamic parameters. A device for carrying out the method.

Methods of quantifying the efficiency of a drug molecule for its targeted receptor, using a differential binding force to quantify the efficiency of a drug molecule to its targeted receptor.

This invention relates to a peptide comprising or consisting of at least 8 consecutive amino acid residues of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, provided that said peptide does not consist of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, or a corresponding peptidomimetic, wherein said peptide or peptidomimetic binds to an anti-KIR4.1 antibody comprised in a sample from a patient having multiple sclerosis or a predisposition therefor. The present invention furthermore relates to a method for diagnosing multiple sclerosis or a predisposition for multiple sclerosis in a subject, the method comprising determining the presence of an anti-KIR4.1 antibody in a sample obtained from said subject, wherein the presence of an anti-KIR4.1 antibody in said sample is indicative of multiple sclerosis or a predisposition for multiple sclerosis. Also provided are novel means and methods for the therapy of multiple sclerosis.

The present disclosure provides peptides and constructs that inhibit mitochondrial fission, and compositions comprising the peptides or constructs. The present disclosure provides methods of reducing abnormal mitochondrial fission in a cell. Also provided are methods for designing and validating mitochondrial fission inhibitor constructs and peptides, including but not limited to, evaluating the effects of the constructs and peptides on binding of dynamin-1-related protein (Drp1) GTPase activity, Drp1 to mitochondrial fission 1 protein (Fis1), reduction of mitochondrial damage, reduction in cell death, inhibition of mitochondrial fragmentation in a cell under pathological conditions, and reduced loss of neurites in primary dopaminergic neurons in a Parkinsonism cell culture.

Provided are methods and compositions for determining methylarginine demethylase activity in test samples. The methods and compositions comprise a peptide substrate containing methylated arginine that can act as a substrate for the demethylation activity, a positive control that has methylarginine demethylation activity and a variant of the positive control that does not have methylarginine demethylation activity and that can act as a negative control.