Embodiments herein describe systems and methods to enhance RNA translation and stability and uses thereof. Many embodiments generate RNA molecules possessing increased structure and/or reduced free energy over an initial sequence. Such RNA molecules can be used as therapeutics and/or vaccines.

The present disclosure provides a DNA plasmid comprising a sequence which encodes an mRNA molecule and a modified poly(A) tail, wherein the part of the sequence that encodes the modified poly(A) tail is characterized in that it consists of at least two A elements each defined as a nucleotide sequence consisting of 55 to 65 T nucleotides and at least one S element each S element consisting of one nucleotide that is not a T nucleotide, or 2 to 10 nucleotides, preferably 6 nucleotides, wherein each of the two terminal nucleotides is not a T nucleotide, wherein the number of A elements is one more than the number of S elements, and wherein any two A elements are separated by one S element; said DNA plasmid exhibiting a reduced recombination during amplification in a bacterial host cell compared to the same DNA plasmid without said at least one S element.

The present disclosure provides a DNA plasmid comprising a sequence which encodes an mRNA molecule and a modified poly(A) tail, wherein the part of the sequence that encodes the modified poly(A) tail is characterized in that it consists of at least two A elements each defined as a nucleotide sequence consisting of 55 to 65 T nucleotides and at least one S element each S element consisting of one nucleotide that is not a T nucleotide, or 2 to 10 nucleotides, preferably 6 nucleotides, wherein each of the two terminal nucleotides is not a T nucleotide, wherein the number of A elements is one more than the number of S elements, and wherein any two A elements are separated by one S element; said DNA plasmid exhibiting a reduced recombination during amplification in a bacterial host cell compared to the same DNA plasmid without said at least one S element.

The invention relates to an artificial nucleic acid molecule comprising an open reading frame and a 3′-UTR comprising at least one poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal. The invention further relates to a vector comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule comprising an open reading frame and a 3′-UTR comprising at least one poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal, to a cell comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule or the vector, to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule or the vector and to a kit comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule, the vector and/or the pharmaceutical composition. The invention also relates to a method for increasing protein production from an artificial nucleic acid molecule and to the use of a 3′-UTR for a method for increasing protein production from an artificial nucleic acid molecule. Moreover, the invention concerns the use of the artificial nucleic acid molecule, the vector, the kit or the pharmaceutical composition as a medicament, as a vaccine or in gene therapy.

The invention relates to an artificial nucleic acid molecule comprising an open reading frame and a 3′-UTR comprising at least one poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal. The invention further relates to a vector comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule comprising an open reading frame and a 3′-UTR comprising at least one poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal, to a cell comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule or the vector, to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule or the vector and to a kit comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule, the vector and/or the pharmaceutical composition. The invention also relates to a method for increasing protein production from an artificial nucleic acid molecule and to the use of a 3′-UTR for a method for increasing protein production from an artificial nucleic acid molecule. Moreover, the invention concerns the use of the artificial nucleic acid molecule, the vector, the kit or the pharmaceutical composition as a medicament, as a vaccine or in gene therapy.

The invention relates to an artificial nucleic acid molecule comprising an open reading frame and a 3′-UTR comprising at least one poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal. The invention further relates to a vector comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule comprising an open reading frame and a 3′-UTR comprising at least one poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal, to a cell comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule or the vector, to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule or the vector and to a kit comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule, the vector and/or the pharmaceutical composition. The invention also relates to a method for increasing protein production from an artificial nucleic acid molecule and to the use of a 3′-UTR for a method for increasing protein production from an artificial nucleic acid molecule. Moreover, the invention concerns the use of the artificial nucleic acid molecule, the vector, the kit or the pharmaceutical composition as a medicament, as a vaccine or in gene therapy.

The invention relates to an artificial nucleic acid molecule comprising an open reading frame and a 3′-UTR comprising at least one poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal. The invention further relates to a vector comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule comprising an open reading frame and a 3′-UTR comprising at least one poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal, to a cell comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule or the vector, to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule or the vector and to a kit comprising the artificial nucleic acid molecule, the vector and/or the pharmaceutical composition. The invention also relates to a method for increasing protein production from an artificial nucleic acid molecule and to the use of a 3′-UTR for a method for increasing protein production from an artificial nucleic acid molecule. Moreover, the invention concerns the use of the artificial nucleic acid molecule, the vector, the kit or the pharmaceutical composition as a medicament, as a vaccine or in gene therapy.

A synthetic nucleic acid which encodes a protein wherein at least one optimal or non-optimal codon in a wild type nucleic acid encoding the protein has been replaced respectively with one or more non-optimal codons or optimal codons encoding the same amino acid.

A synthetic nucleic acid which encodes a protein wherein at least one optimal or non-optimal codon in a wild type nucleic acid encoding the protein has been replaced respectively with one or more non-optimal codons or optimal codons encoding the same amino acid.

The invention relates to an infectious arenavirus particle that is engineered to contain a genome with the ability to amplify and express its genetic information in infected cells but unable to produce further infectious progeny particles in normal, not genetically engineered cells. One or more of the four arenavirus open reading frames glycoprotein (GP), nucleoprotein (NP), matrix protein Z and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase L are removed or mutated to prevent replication in normal cells but still allowing gene expression in arenavirus vector-infected cells, and foreign genes coding for an antigen or other protein of interest or nucleic acids modulating host gene expression are expressed under control of the arenavirus promoters, internal ribosome entry sites or under control of regulatory elements that can be read by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, cellular RNA polymerase I, RNA polymerase II or RNA polymerase III. The modified arenaviruses are useful as vaccines and therapeutic agents for a variety of diseases.