Methods and systems for autoinduction of gene expression, without the need to add exogenous inducers. A dual genetic element system, which includes a first, high copy number genetic element comprising a first gene of interest that is under the control of an inducible promoter, and a second, low copy number genetic element comprising a gene encoding a transcriptional factor which, upon expression, regulates transcription from the inducible promoter, wherein activation of transcription from the inducible promoter does not require addition of an exogenous inducer.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to compositions and methods for regulation of transgene (e.g., miRNAs, shRNAs or coding sequences) expression from viral vectors. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides expression constructs comprising a viral vector encoding one or more transgenes, the expression of which is regulated by a rapamycin/rapalog-based system.

Compositions and methods are provided for depletion of pluripotent cells. In one embodiment of the invention, methods are provided for depletion of pluripotent cells from a mixed population of differentiated cells and stem cells, to provide a population of cells substantially free of pluripotent stem cells.

The disclosure relates to compositions comprising PU.1 inhibitors as well as methods of making and using the same. In some embodiments, methods of screening compounds for PU.1 inhibition are disclosed. In some embodiments, methods of screening a plurality of compounds for PU.1 inhibition are disclosed. In some embodiments, lambda-beta binding (LBB) motifs are used to screen compounds for PU.1 inhibition. In some embodiments, methods of treating neurodegenerative disorders are disclosed. In some embodiments pharmaceutical compounds are provided. In some embodiments, methods of treating Alzheimer's disease, inflammation, or excessive myelin uptake with PU.1 inhibitors are disclosed.

The present specification provides a method of producing induced functional astrocytes (iAs) from human pluripotent stem cells substantially more rapidly than previously achieved. These iAs express biomarkers and have functional characteristics typical of natural astrocytes. The iAs are useful in the exploration of astrocyte biology, pathophysiology, and in models of neurologic diseases and disorders.

Methods of modulating expression of a target nucleic acid in a cell are provided including introducing into the cell a first foreign nucleic acid encoding one or more RNAs complementary to DNA, wherein the DNA includes the target nucleic acid, introducing into the cell a second foreign nucleic acid encoding a nuclease-null Cas9 protein that binds to the DNA and is guided by the one or more RNAs, introducing into the cell a third foreign nucleic acid encoding a transcriptional regulator protein or domain, wherein the one or more RNAs, the nuclease-null Cas9 protein, and the transcriptional regulator protein or domain are expressed, wherein the one or more RNAs, the nuclease-null Cas9 protein and the transcriptional regulator protein or domain co-localize to the DNA and wherein the transcriptional regulator protein or domain regulates expression of the target nucleic acid.

The present invention is directed to systems including an expression vector or a plurality thereof, including methods of using same, such as for controlling the expression level of a gene of interest (GOI) or reducing high basal expression level of a GOI.

The present disclosure provides automated multi-module instrumentation and automated methods for performing recursive editing of live cells with curing of editing vectors from prior rounds of editing.

Provided herein are embodiments directed to heme-responsive promoter sequences, heme-responsive repressor systems which may be used as probiotic bacteria and as bio-therapeutics, such probiotic bacteria and bio-therapeutics are described in methods of detecting bleeding in a mucosal environment, diagnosing in vivo bleeding in a mucosal environment, and treating in vivo bleeding in a mucosal environment.

Disclosed herein are cells including pluripotent stem cells that conditionally express an immunosuppressive factor and related methods of their use and generation. In some embodiments, the cells disclosed do not express MHC I and MHC II human leukocyte antigens, and in some cases, also do not express one or more TCR complexes. In some embodiments, hypoimmunogenicity of the cells is controlled by activation of a controllable expression system upon contacting the cells with a specific factor or agent.