Non-Mammalian RAS Transgenic Animal Model

Abstract

Non-mammalian, transgenic animals, e.g., flies, that include a RAS transgene, are provided. Also provided are methods of using the subject transgenic non-mammalian animals to identify compounds having activity with respect to cellular proliferative, such as neoplastic, diseases.

1 . A non-mammalian mutant animal, wherein said animal comprises a RAS transgene. 
     
     
         2 . The non-mammalian mutant animal according to  claim 1 , wherein the RAS transgene is a kRAS transgene. 
     
     
         3 . The non-mammalian mutant animal according to  claim 2 , wherein the kRAS transgene is a human kRAS transgene. 
     
     
         4 . The non-mammalian mutant animal according to  claim 3 , wherein the human kRAS transgene comprises a point mutation. 
     
     
         5 . The non-mammalian mutant animal according to  claim 1 , wherein the animal is an invertebrate. 
     
     
         6 . The non-mammalian mutant animal according to  claim 5 , wherein the invertebrate is an insect. 
     
     
         7 . The non-mammalian mutant animal according to  claim 6 , wherein the insect is a fly. 
     
     
         8 . The non-mammalian mutant animal according to  claim 7 , wherein the fly is a member of the family Drosophilidae. 
     
     
         9 . The non-mammalian mutant animal according to  claim 8 , wherein the fly is a  Drosophila melanogaster.    
     
     
         10 . The non-mammalian mutant animal according to  claim 1 , wherein the transgene is ubiquitously expressed. 
     
     
         11 . The non-mammalian mutant animal according to  claim 1 , wherein the transgene is expressed in a tissue specific manner. 
     
     
         12 . The non-mammalian mutant animal according to  claim 11 , wherein the transgene is expressed in wing-tissue. 
     
     
         13 . The non-mammalian mutant animal according to  claim 1 , wherein the transgene is expressed in a developmental specific manner. 
     
     
         14 . A method of screening a compound for activity with respect to a cellular proliferative disease, the method comprising:
 administering the compound to a non-mammalian transgenic animal according to  claim 1 ; and   observing the effect of the compound on the non-mammalian transgenic animal.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the method comprises:
 feeding a plurality of compounds to a plurality of non-mammalian transgenic animals in a manner sufficient to ensure that each animal is fed only a single type compound from the plurality of compounds; and   observing the effect of said compounds on the plurality of animals.