	US 7,531,713 B2
	Assay for toxin induced neuronal degeneration and viability in C. elegans
Randy D. Blakely, Brentwood, Tenn. (US); Richard Nass, Nashville, Tenn. (US); and David Miller, Brentwood, Tenn. (US)
Assigned to Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn. (US)
Filed on Jan. 05, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/29,895.
Application 11/029895 is a continuation of application No. 09/888233, filed on Jun. 22, 2001, granted, now 6,894,205.
Prior Publication US 2005/0160482 A1, Jul. 21, 2005
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01N 33/00 (2006.01); C12N 15/00 (2006.01); C12N 15/09 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 800—3 [435/455; 800/21]

25 Claims

1. A method of screening for substances that affect neuronal viability comprising:

a) providing a recombinant Caenorhabditis elegans, the genome of which comprises a transgene that encodes a detectable marker and is under the control of a promoter, wherein said detectable marker is expressed in a neuronal cell of said recombinant C. elegans;

b) exposing said C. elegans to a candidate substance; and

c) detecting a change in the expression of the detectable marker relative to the expression of the detectable marker before said exposing;

wherein a change in the expression of the detectable marker corresponds to a change in the viability of the neuron.