The present invention describes rhomboid protease inhibitors having high specificity and inhibition characteristics providing novel antibiotics, anti-malarial pharmaceutical agents, and provides a strategy for designing RiBns (rhomboid-inhibiting boronates) to target rhomboid selectively in unrelated organisms.

Compositions and methods are provided for reducing the mammalian transmission of Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) through the administration to mammalian subjects of vaccine compositions comprising at least one immunogenic polypeptide comprising a S. pneumoniae protein or a fragment or variant thereof that is required for or involved in transmission of the bacteria between mammalian hosts. These vaccine compositions also serve to reduce the incidence rate of at least one invasive disease caused by S. pneumoniae. Methods are also provided for identifying additional genetic factors involved in mammalian transmission of S. pneumoniae.

The present disclosure is directed to devices, instruments, and methods, including automated methods, for enhanced production and efficient screening of biosynthesized antibiotics. More particularly, the present disclosure provides for accelerated biosynthesis and screening on a single-cell scale.

The present invention involves the ability to 1) use a virus assisted directed evolution platform to significantly improve the activity of engineered nonsense-suppressor tRNAs in mammalian cells, 2) provide mutants of archaeal pyrrolysyl and E. coli leucyl tRNAs that show remarkably improved Uaa incorporation efficiency in mammalian cells, and 3) use these tRNAs to express recombinant proteins in mammalian cells incorporating Uaas at significantly improved yields.

A novel method for preparing sequence-verified oligonucleotides is disclosed. In particular, the invention relates to a simple, affordable, and scalable method that combines high-throughput mating of yeast clones, a unique selectable system for combining DNA sequences in yeast, and next-generation sequencing. This method allows sequence-verified oligonucleotides to be readily isolated from complex libraries.

The present invention provides methods of maturing a peptide library and of identifying peptides having increased specific binding to a target molecule and/or differential specific binding to target molecules. The present invention also provide methods of developing diagnostic assays, detection kits and therapeutic agents with the peptides.

The present invention provides methods of maturing a peptide library and of identifying peptides having increased specific binding to a target molecule and/or differential specific binding to target molecules. The present invention also provide methods of developing diagnostic assays, detection kits and therapeutic agents with the peptides.

This disclosure relates to a chimeric antigen receptor for binding with a target antigen. The chimeric antigen receptor comprises at least one antigen specific targeting region including a multispecific antibody evolved from a wild-type antibody or a fragment thereof and having at least one of: (a) a decrease in activity in the assay at the normal physiological condition compared to the wild-type antibody or the fragment thereof, and (b) an increase in activity in the assay under the aberrant condition compared to the wild-type antibody or the fragment thereof. A method for using the chimeric antigen receptor and cytotoxic cells for cancer treatment is also provided. A method for producing the chimeric antigen receptor is also provided.

Described herein are methods for engineering proteins and viruses to reduce their immunogenicity, proteins and viruses made by using said methods, including proteins having Cas9 like activity and viruses having AAV5 like activity.

Disclosed are methods for identifying bio-molecules with desired properties (or which are most suitable for a round of directed evolution) from complex bio-molecule libraries or sets of such libraries. Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods for virtually screening proteins for beneficial properties. Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods for virtually screening enzymes for desired activity and/or selectivity for catalytic reactions involving particular substrates. Some embodiments combine screening and directed evolution to design and develop proteins and enzymes having desired properties. Systems and computer program products implementing the methods are also provided.