Described herein is a novel gene and its product, WIP, which associates
with WASP. The subject invention relates to the isolated WIP gene or cDNA and transgenic
mammals that have the WIP gene disrupted in their genome. Also the subject of this
invention are methods of treating conditions or diseases in which WIP and/or WASP
DNA or protein is deficient and/or defective, for example, mutated or altered,
such that an individual is adversely affected. Also described are methods of altering
or regulating WIP and its functions in a mammal or in a cell of a mammal, for example
in a lymphocyte. A further subject of this invention is an assay to identify drugs
which alter the activity of WIP or expression of WIP DNA.
