System for screening agonists/antagonists of cellular signaling pathways

1. A method for screening a drug affect on the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway comprising the steps of:

culturing a first population and second population of cells, wherein both populations express a A::Smoothened::Fluorescent Protein construct (A::Smo::FP), and wherein A is a fragment of an acyl carrier protein that suffices for post-translational phosphopantetheinylation of A::Smo::FP protein;

labeling both the first and second cell populations with a fluorophore using AcpS;

contacting the first cell population with a Hh ligand;

contacting the second cell population with a Hh ligand and a drug;

observing the cilial translocation of said A::Smo::FP in the first cell population and in the second cell population by visualizing the FP and fluorophore;

comparing the cilial translocation of said A::Smo::FP in the first cell population with the second cell population;

wherein a difference in cilial translocation of said A::Smo::FP in the first cell population and the second cell population provides an indication of whether said drug affects the Hh signaling pathway.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said FP is Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) or Yellow Fluorescent Protein (YFP).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein A is peptide A1, having the amino acid sequence GDSLDMLEWSLM (SEQ ID NO: 2).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein A is peptide A-4, having the amino acid sequence DSLDMLEW (SEQ ID NO: 1).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the observing and comparing steps are automated.

6. A method for high throughput screening for Hh antagonists or agonists using the method of claim 1 .

7. A method for investigating the response of a cell membrane protein in a living cell to a drug comprising:

(a) identifying a cell membrane protein for investigation, wherein said membrane protein responds to a stimulus by translocation;

(b) obtaining a gene that expresses a recombinant version of said membrane protein;

(c) creating a genetic construct that adds (i) at least one acyl carrier protein peptide tag to the membrane-associated portion of said membrane protein and (ii) at least one visual marker to said recombinant protein, wherein said construct is expressed in a cell as a chimeric membrane protein;

(d) introducing said construct into a cell such that said chimeric membrane protein is expressed;

(e) labeling the membrane portion of said chimeric membrane protein with a fluorophore via AcpS;

(f) contacting said cell with a drug;

(g) observing translocation activity of said chimeric membrane protein within said cell by observing the fluorophore and the visual marker of the chimeric membrane protein;

wherein an effect of the drug on translocation activity of the chimeric membrane protein indicates whether the drug is an antagonist, agonist, or does not affect translocation of said cell membrane protein.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said visual marker is GFP.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said acyl carrier protein peptide tag is A1.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein said fluorophore is Texas red and the visual marker is GFP.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein said construct is A1::Smo::GFP.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein said introducing step uses a retroviral vector.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein said contacting and observing is automated.

14. A cell culture system comprising a population of cells that expresses a reporter construct comprising A::Smo::FP, and wherein A is a fragment of an acyl carrier protein that suffices for post-translational phosphopantetheinylation in a living cell, Smo is Smoothened protein, and FP is a fluorescent protein.

15. A method of identifying a drug that affects a Hh signaling pathway comprising contacting a cell culture system of claim 14 with a candidate drug and detecting an effect on the reporter construct as compared with a culture system not contacted with the drug, wherein a difference is indicative of a drug that affects a Hh signaling pathway.