Disclosed is human endogenous retroviral protein. This human endogenous retroviral protein is herein generally referred to as HEMO. The application relates more particularly to shed forms of the HEMO protein, more particularly to those shed forms, which are released in the circulating blood. The application also relates to products deriving from the shed forms of HEMO, such as antibodies, nucleic acid vectors and engineered cells, as well as to the medical or biotechnological applications of these shed forms or derived products, notably in the fields of placental development, fetus protection, cancer treatment and stem cell production.

The present invention relates to an adenoviral vector capable of encoding a virus-like particle (VLP), said VLP displaying an inactive immune-suppressive domain (ISD). The vaccine of the invention shows an improved immune response from either of both of the response pathways initiated by CD4 T cells or CD8 T cells.

Provided herein, in some embodiments, are artificial ribosomes that synthesize nonribosomal peptides, polyketides, and fatty acids with full control over peptide sequence. Also provided herein are methods for programmed synthesis of nonribosomal peptides, polyketides, and fatty acids. In particular, provided herein are methods for scalable synthesis of a wide range of antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and anticancer compounds.

Disclosed herein, in certain embodiments, are recombinant PNMA2 and endogenous Gag polypeptides, capsids comprising the recombinant PNMA2 or endogenous Gag polypeptides, and methods of making and using recombinant PNMA2 and endogenous Gag polypeptides.

Provided herein are compositions, systems, and methods for delivering cargo to a target cell. The compositions, systems, and methods comprise one or more polynucleotides encoding one or more LTR retroelement polypeptides for forming a delivery vesicle and one or more capture moieties for packaging a cargo within the delivery vesicle. The one or more LTR retroelement polypeptides for forming a delivery vesicle may comprise two or more of an LTR retroelement gag protein, a retroelement envelope protein, a an LTR retroelement reverse transcriptase, or a combination thereof. The LTR retroelement polypeptide alone, the LTR retroelement envelope protein alone, or both the LTR retroelement-derived polypeptide and LTR retroelement envelope protein may be endogenous.

A method using an endogenous retrovirus (ERV) as a biomarker for detecting a degree of aging of an object or a cell, tissue or organ or isolated cell thereof. A method using an ERV as a target for treating, preventing or delaying aging of the subject or a cell, tissue or organ or isolated cell thereof.

The application discloses multimeric assemblies packaging one or more active component and their use to carry out nucleic acid regulation or gene editing.

The present invention relates to a novel antibody against HERV-K envelope that targets a conserved region not affected by glycosylation or by native conformation, and its use in diagnostics and/or in therapy.

The present invention discloses an in-vitro method for transferring biological material into activated NK cells with a pseudotyped retroviral vector particle or a virus-like particle thereof, comprising the steps a) activation of NK cells, and b) addition of said pseudotyped retroviral vector particle or virus-like particle thereof to said activated NK cells, wherein said pseudotyped retroviral vector particle or virus-like particle thereof comprises a modified baboon endogenous retrovirus (BaEV) envelope glycoprotein that is able of binding to and fusing with a hematopoietic cell membrane, thereby transferring biological material into said activated NK cells. Preferentially, the activating of NK cells is performed by the addition of a IL-1 family cytokine to the NK cells.

The present invention relates to a method for obtaining stable pseudotyped lentiviral particles including a heterologous gene of interest, comprising the following steps: a) transfecting at least one plasmid in appropriate cell lines, wherein said at least one plasmid comprises the gene of interest, the rev. gag and pol genes, and a sequence coding for an ERV syncytin, wherein the rev, gag and pol genes are retroviral genes; b) incubating the transfected cells obtained in a), so that they produce the stable pseudotyped lentiviral particles in the supernatant; and c) harvesting and concentrating the stable lentiviral particles obtained in b). The present invention also relates to a method to transduce immune cells using lentiviral vectors pseudotyped with an ERV syncytin glycoprotein. The method can be performed on non-stimulated blood cells or on cells stimulated briefly with IL7, and the cells can be expanded. The stable pseudotyped lentiviral particles obtained are particularly useful in gene therapy.