The present invention provides nanoparticle-coupled tolerogenic Treg cell therapy for treatment of immune and/or autoimmune disorders. In certain specific embodiments, the present invention can be used in the prevention and/or treatment of autoimmune diseases including, but not limited to, type 1 diabetes, lupus erythematosus (SLE), multiple sclerosis (MS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis, oophoritis, and autoimmune pathology associated with Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD) following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

A genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae including an active fermentation pathway producing 3-HP expresses an exogenous gene expressing the aminotransferase YhxA from Bacillus cereus AH1272 catalyzing a transamination reaction between beta-alanine and pyruvate to produce malonate semialdehyde. The yeast may also express a 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase (HIBADH) and a 3-hydroxypropanoate dehydrogenase (3-HPDH) and aspartate 1-decarboxylase. Additionally the yeast may express pyruvate carboxylase and aspartate aminotransferase.

Probiotic bacteria are genetically modified to produce and excrete enhanced levels of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Exemplary probiotic bacteria include Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis). The genetically modified probiotic bacteria can be prepared as an aqueous suspension and/or incorporated into food and nutraceuticals for oral administration to a subject. An oral formulation including the genetically modified probiotic bacteria can be used to treat inflammatory diseases and/or behavioral disorders caused by or associated with GABA-GABA signaling deficiency or by excess of excitatory neurotransmitters (such as glutamate). Inflammatory conditions that can be treated with the genetically modified probiotic bacteria include multiple sclerosis (MS) and irritable bowel disease (IBD).

A process for producing taurine. Where the taurine is produced from O-acetyl-L-serine (OAS) using biotransformation. In a first processing step (biotransformation 1), L-cysteic acid is produced from OAS using an enzyme selected from a class of OAS sulfhydrylases (EC 4.2.99.8) in the presence of a salt of sulfurous acid. Where the biotransformation is carried out under active pH control. In a second processing step (biotransformation 2), L-cysteic acid is decarboxylated to taurine. Where the OAS concentration in the batch is at least 10 g/L and the OAS sulfhydrylase is CysM.

Provided are polynucleotides and viral vectors encoding glutamate decarboxylase (GAD65) under control of the E2 regulatory element. The sequence encoding the GAD65 is operably linked to a genetic element that can selectively drive expression of the GAD65 protein in parvalbumin-positive interneurons (PV) neurons, illustrated using a S5E2 element. GAD65 expression results in restored spectral modulation (SM) detection following developmental hearing loss and increases transmission of GABA at both GABA.sub.A and GABA.sub.B receptors.

This disclosure provides a number of sequences involved in nitrogen utilization, methods of using such sequences, tobacco plants carrying modifications to such sequences, tobacco plants transgenic for such sequences, and tobacco products made from such plants.

This disclosure provides a number of sequences involved in nitrogen utilization, methods of using such sequences, tobacco plants carrying modifications to such sequences, tobacco plants transgenic for such sequences, and tobacco products made from such plants.

Provided are an aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC)/glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) polynucleotide, and a use thereof in treating Parkinson's disease. Specifically, provided are a method for and a use in treating neurodegenerative diseases (such as Parkinson's disease) by delivering AADC and a GDNF to specific areas of the brain by a gene delivery system using AAV as a vector.

The present invention provides a method and a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of the NDO comprising the viral expression vector carrying a transcription cassette that harbors transgene(s) inhibiting/silencing neurotransmission or synaptic transmission of afferent neurons.

The present invention relates to therapeutical uses of non-classical human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules (also named MHC class Ib molecules) in combination with peptide antigens for the treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D). The invention more specifically relates to recombinant polypeptides comprising peptide antigens and one or more domains of a non-classical MHC class Ib molecule. The invention also relates to methods of producing such recombinant polypeptides, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same, as well as their uses for treating type 1 diabetes (T1D).