This disclosure provides new animal models for studying Usher syndrome and developing new therapy. The technology is implemented in pigs, and other large animals in which the ophthalmic architecture and function more closely resembles architecture and function of the human eye. The animals have a genetic modification in which all or a portion of a human gene known to cause Usher syndrome in human patients replaces the host gene. Animals can be cloned or bred to be homozygous at the targeted locus, whereupon they manifest symptoms and signs of Usher syndrome. Since a substantial portion of the targeted gene has been humanized, the animals can be used to develop and test pharmacological agents such as gene therapy that are sequence dependent.

Novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors in nucleotide and amino acid forms and uses thereof are provided. The isolates show specific tropism for certain target tissues, such as blood stem cells, liver, heart and joint tissue, and may be used to transduce stem cells for introduction of genes of interest into the target tissues. Certain of the vectors are able to cross tightly controlled biological junctions, such as the blood-brain barrier, which open up additional novel uses and target organs for the vectors, providing for additional methods of gene therapy and drug delivery.

CRISPR/CAS-related compositions and methods for treatment of Leber's Congenital Amaurosis 10 (LCA10) are disclosed.

The present disclosure provides, among other things, a recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector comprising an AAV8 or AAV9 capsid and a codon-optimized sequence encoding a human iduronate-2-sulfatase (I2S) enzyme. The disclosure also provides a method of treating a subject having Hunter syndrome (MPS II), comprising administering to the subject in need thereof a recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector comprising an AAV8 or AAV9 capsid, and a promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid sequence that encodes iduronate-2-sulfatase (I2S), and wherein administering results in an increase in I2S enzymatic activity in the subject.

The present invention relates to a method for preventing or treating cardiomyopathy due to energy failure in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of a vector which comprises a nucleic acid sequence of a gene that can restore energy failure. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for preventing or treating a cardiomyopathy associated with Friedreich ataxia in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of a vector which comprises a frataxin (FXN) encoding nucleic acid.

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for treating diseases characterized by expanded microsatellite repeats by impeding or inhibiting transcription of expanded microsatellite repeats.

Disclosed are next-generation multi-mutated capside protein-modified rAAV expression vector, as well as infectious virions, compositions, and pharmaceutical formulations that include them. Also disclosed are methods of preparing and using these high transduction efficiency vector constructs in a variety of therapeutic applications including, inter alia, as delivery agents for the treatment or amelioration of one or more diseases or abnormal conditions in an affected mammal using in vivo and/or ex situ viral vector-based gene therapy protocols. Also disclosed are large-scale production methods for the multi-mutated, capsid-modified rAAV expression vector, viral particles, and infectious virions, as well as use of the disclosed compositions in the manufacture of medicaments for use in a variety of in vitro and/or in vivo therapeutic methodologies.

In one aspect, the invention provides a method of screening a human subject to determine if said subject has a genetic predisposition to develop, or is suffering from Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy (FSHD), said method comprising: (a) providing a biological sample comprising genomic DNA from the subject; and (b) analyzing the portion of the genomic DNA in the sample corresponding to the distal D4Z4-pLAM region on chromosome 4 and determining the presence or absence of a polymorphism resulting in a functional polyadenylation sequence operationally linked to exon 3 of the DUX4 gene.

The disclosure in some aspects relates to recombinant adeno-associated viruses having distinct tissue targeting capabilities. In some aspects, the disclosure relates to gene transfer methods using the recombinant adeno-associate viruses. In some aspects, the disclosure relates to isolated AAV capsid proteins and isolated nucleic acids encoding the same.

Disclosed herein are recombinant viral vectors comprising a liver specific promotor in operable combination with a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding a protein, such as a clotting factor. Methods of treating a subject with a clotting disorder, such as hemophilia A or hemophilia B, are also provided.