Method for gene screening with the use of nuclear receptors

摘要

A system in which a ligand is formed by the expression of a polypeptide that converts a ligand precursor into a ligand, and the ligand thus formed binds to a nuclear receptor to thereby induce the expression of a reporter gene located downstream of the target sequence is constructed. Searching a gene library using this system can isolate a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting a ligand precursor into a ligand. This system, which takes the advantage of the transcriptional regulatory function of a nuclear receptor, enables screening a ligand that binds to a nuclear receptor and to examine whether or not a test compound is a ligand that binds to the nuclear receptor, and also screening genes that encode polypeptides capable of converting an inactive form of a wide range of transcriptional regulatory factors into an active form.