The present invention provides a system for providing a T cell product, including a T cell master cell bank and/or a T cell working cell bank.

The present invention relates to a chimeric costimulatory antigen receptor (CoStAR) useful in adoptive cell therapy (ACT), and cells comprising the CoStAR. The CoStAR can act as a modulator of cellular activity enhancing responses to defined antigens. The present invention also provides CoStAR proteins, nucleic acids encoding the CoStAR and therapeutic uses thereof.

Provided herein are compositions and methods for improving the genome-wide specificities of targeted base editing technologies.

Signal sequences useful for targeting proteins and peptides to the surface of endospores produced by Paenibacillus family members and methods of using the same are provided. The display of heterologous molecules, such as peptides, polypeptides and other recombinant constructs, on the spore surface of Paenibacillus family members, using particular N-terminal targeting sequences and derivatives of the same, are also provided.

Disclosed herein are compositions that include antigen-encoding nucleic acid sequences and/or antigen peptides. Also disclosed are nucleotides, cells, and methods associated with the compositions including their use as vaccines, including vectors and methods for a heterologous prime/boost vaccincation strategy.

Provided herein are cells engineered to have improved protection against natural killer cell killing. The cells are engineered to comprise an insertion of a polynucleotide encoding SERPINB9. Also provided herein are methods of making the engineered cells and therapeutic uses of the engineered cells. The engineered cells can also comprise at least one genetic modification within or near at least one gene that encodes one or more MHC-I or MHC-II human leukocyte antigens or component or transcriptional regulator of the MHC-I or MHC-II complex, at least one genetic modification that increases the expression of at least one polynucleotide that encodes a tolerogenic factor, and optionally at least one genetic modification that increases or decreases the expression of at least one gene that encodes a survival factor. The engineered cells can be stem cells and the engineered stem cells can be differentiated into various lineages having protection against NK cell killing.

A method of modifying a glycosylation pattern of a polypeptide-of-interest in a plant or plant cell is provided. The method comprising expressing in a plant or plant cell transformed to express at least one glycosidase in a subcellular compartment, a nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide-of-interest, such that the at least one glycosidase and the polypeptide-of-interest are co-localized to the subcellular compartment of the plant or plant cell, thereby modifying the glycosylation pattern of the polypeptide-of-interest in the plant or plant cell.

Described herein are single chain trimer (SCT) polypeptides comprising or consisting essentially of a target peptide, a first linker, at least a portion of a beta-2 microglobulin domain, a second linker, and at least a portion of a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I alpha chain, or pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof. The SCT polypeptides may further include a leader peptide, e.g., a PHO5, SUC2, app8, or HLA A2 leader sequence at the N-terminus of the target peptide. Further described herein are polypeptide compositions comprising or consisting essentially of a first polypeptide comprising a target peptide, and a second polypeptide comprising at least a portion of a beta-2 microglobulin domain, a second linker, and at least a portion of a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I alpha chain, a third linker, and a tether peptide, or pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof. The first polypeptide and/or the second polypeptide may further include a leader peptide, e.g., a PHO5, SUC2, app8, or HLA A2 leader sequence. The present disclosure also includes associated kits, methods, compositions, nucleotides, cells, and uses thereof.

Several embodiments disclosed herein relate to the compositions comprising engineered Natural Killer (NK) cells that express a chimeric receptor, the chimeric receptor imparting to the NK cells an enhanced ability to target specific cells, such as cancerous cells or those affected by an infectious disease. Several embodiments relate to NK cells that target cells expressing natural ligands of NKG2D, where the NK cells comprise transmembrane and/or signaling domains that lead to cytotoxic and/or cytolytic effects when the NK cells bind a target cell. Uses of NK cell compositions to treat diseases are also provided for in several embodiments.

Provided are: a nucleic acid including a nucleic acid sequence encoding a chimeric protein including at least part of an ion-transporting receptor rhodopsin and at least part of a G protein-coupled receptor rhodopsin and a nucleic acid sequence encoding a signal sequence; and a nucleic acid including a nucleic acid sequence encoding a chimeric protein including at least part of an ion channeling receptor rhodopsin and at least part of a G protein-coupled receptor rhodopsin; and a nucleic acid construct including the nucleic acid sequences. The use of the nucleic acids or nucleic acid constructs prevents and suppresses the progress of retinal diseases, and enhances the visual cognitive behavioral function and visual function.