Provided herein are klotho polypeptide compositions and methods for improving cognitive function in an individual comprising treatment of with klotho polypeptides.

The invention provides recombinant DNA molecules and constructs, as well as their nucleotide sequences, useful for modulating gene expression in plants. The invention also provides transgenic plants, plant cells, plant parts, and seeds comprising the recombinant DNA molecules operably linked to heterologous transcribable DNA molecules, as are methods of their use.

Provided as a mutant of β glucuronidase suitable for homogeneous immunoassays is a β glucuronidase mutant, wherein, in the amino acid sequence of Escherichia coli β glucuronidase, methionine at position 516 is substituted with lysine, and tyrosine at position 517 is unsubstituted or substituted with a non-tyrosine aromatic amino acid.

This document provides methods and materials for treating aging. For example, a mammal having, or at risk for developing, an age-related impairment (e.g., age-related cognitive decline) can be treated by increasing the level of one or more myokine polypeptides (e.g., one or more Klotho polypeptides) within cells within the mammal. This document also provides methods and materials for increasing the ability of muscle progenitor cells to regenerate muscle cells by increasing the level(s) of one or more myokine polypeptides (e.g., an α-Klotho polypeptide) within a muscle progenitor cell.

Methods and compositions for treating a severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection in a subject in need are provided. In some aspects, a therapeutically effective amount of a Klotho polypeptide and/or a Klotho polynucleotide encoding a Klotho polypeptide is administered to the subject. In some other aspects, the subject is treated with a first therapy when the subject has diminished Klotho activity, and with a second therapy when the subject does not have diminished Klotho activity. Diminished Klotho activity is determined by comparing the amount of Klotho protein in a blood sample from the subject to a predetermined threshold. In particular, methods and compositions for treating SARS-CoV-2 infection are provided.

The present disclosure includes catalytically active truncations of a protein, referred to as a PnSPase protein, that degrade the capsular polysaccharide of serotype 3 Streptococcus pneumoniae. The disclosure includes a genetically modified cell that includes a PnSPase protein of the present disclosure, and compositions that include the protein, the polynucleotide encoding the protein, the genetically modified cell, or a combination thereof. Also provided are methods for using a PnSPase protein of the present disclosure, including methods for contacting a S. pneumoniae having a type III capsular polysaccharide with a PnSPase protein, increasing deposition of at least one complement component on the surface of a S. pneumoniae, treating an infection in a subject, treating a symptom in a subject, decreasing colonization of a subject by S. pneumoniae, or a combination thereof.

The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for modulating gene expression and in particular to compositions and methods for increasing expression of Klotho. For example, the present disclosure provides methods for increasing expression of a Klotho gene in a human cell comprising introducing into the cell a CRISPR enzyme and a guide RNA comprising a guide sequence that is substantially complementary to a target sequence within or near the Klotho gene, wherein the guide RNA or the CRISPR enzyme associates with a transcriptional activation domain.

Blends of enzymes of the same enzyme class (same EC number), such as beta-glucuronidase enzyme blends, are provided that exhibit synergistic levels of activity across a range of substrates as compared to the activity levels of each enzyme in the blend individually. The blends also may exhibit a greater effective substrate range, as well as greater effective pH and/or temperature ranges as compared to single enzyme preparations. Predictive methods for determining optimal enzyme blends, methods for preparing enzyme blends, enzyme blend compositions, enzyme blend formulations and methods of using such enzyme blends are provided.

This document relates to methods and materials involved in treating a mammal having a gastrointestinal disorder (e.g., an irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) such as post-infection IBS (PI-IBS)). For example, one or more protease inhibitors and/or one or more microorganisms that produce one or more protease inhibitors can be administered to a mammal having, or at risk of developing, a gastrointestinal disorder to treat the mammal.

Methods and compositions for treating a severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection in a subject in need are provided. In some aspects, a therapeutically effective amount of a Klotho polypeptide and/or a Klotho polynucleotide encoding a Klotho polypeptide is administered to the subject. In some other aspects, the subject is treated with a first therapy when the subject has diminished Klotho activity, and with a second therapy when the subject does not have diminished Klotho activity. Diminished Klotho activity is determined by comparing the amount of Klotho protein in a blood sample from the subject to a predetermined threshold. In particular, methods and compositions for treating SARS-CoV-2 infection are provided.