Disclosed herein are compositions and methods related to mutant viruses, and in particular, mutant influenza viruses. The mutant viruses disclosed herein include mutant M2 sequences, mutant BM2 sequences, and are useful in immunogenic compositions, e.g., as a quadrivalent vaccines. Also disclosed herein are methods, compositions and cells for propagating the viral mutants, and methods, devices and compositions related to vaccination.

In certain embodiments, the present invention provides isolated replication defective non-integrating segmented viruses comprising a genome where at least one of the viral segments comprises a heterologous nucleotide sequence comprising a nucleotide segment that encodes an effector protein. Also provided are methods of using these viruses.

Disclosed herein are methods and exemplary compositions associated with virus purification, antigen purification, and conjugation of virus and proteins (e.g., antigen) to form vaccines for delivery of immunological and other therapeutic agents, exemplary aspects of which may include harvesting viral and antigenic substances from source organisms; a purification platform comprising chemical separation and size-difference separation for the removal of contaminants, debris and impurities from the viral and protein (e.g. antigenic, including influenza hemagglutinin antigens) substances, as well as their concentration and collection; and a conjugation platform providing activation of the virus at a pH that increases binding rate and binding propensity between the virus and the protein, wherein embodiments related to the conjugation platform include controlling the ratio of virus to protein.

The disclosure provides non-naturally occurring mutant neuraminidase (NA) polypeptides that improve expression and or modifies the open/closed tetrameric conformational state of the NA polypeptide, and uses thereof.

The present disclosure discloses a whole avian-origin reverse genetic manipulation system and its use in producing a recombinant H7N9 avian influenza vaccine. The whole avian-origin reverse genetic manipulation system is an eight-plasmid reverse genetic manipulation system based on H5N2 subtype avian influenza D7 virus strain, which is comprised of 8 recombinant plasmids respectively containing PB2, PB1, PA, HA, NP, NA, M and NS gene fragments derived from H5N2 subtype avian influenza D7 virus strain. The genome of the recombinant H7N9 subtype avian influenza vaccine of the present disclosure is comprised of an NA gene and a modified HA gene derived from a highly pathogenic H7N9 subtype avian influenza virus strain, as well as PB2, PB1, PA, NP, M and NS genes derived from H5N2 subtype avian influenza D7 virus strain.

The invention provides a novel fusion protein between flagellin (or portions thereof) and a polypeptide that can form a virus-like particle (VLP) (e.g., hepatitis b core (HBc) protein or portions thereof), where the fusion protein continues to form a VLP in an aqueous environment. The VLPs based on such fusion proteins (e.g., FH VLPs) provide a versatile, highly immunogenic, and safe vaccine carrier capable of displaying or associating a variety of vaccine antigens on VLP surface to elicit potent humoral and cellular immune responses.

Engineered Influenza polynucleotides, viruses, vaccines, and methods of making and using the same are provided. More specifically, the present inventors have developed replication competent engineered influenza viruses having, for example, a modified segment 4 and/or segment 6 that include at least one additional polynucleotide encoding a heterologous polypeptide.

The present invention relates to the field of (vector) vaccines, and especially to the novel EHV insertion site UL43. The present invention further concerns related expression cassettes and vectors, which are suitable to express genes of interest, especially antigen encoding sequences. The viral vectors of the present invention are useful for producing an immunogenic composition or vaccine.

The present invention provides a recombinant sequence information of a key host factor ANP32A/B which is necessary for the replication of influenza virus in a host. More specifically, the present invention relates to a 129-130 motif and a 149 site of the host factor ANP32A/B protein, which are key active sites for exerting its ability to promote the replication of influenza virus, and are also potential targeting sites of anti-influenza drugs.

The present invention provides a modified influenza A virus (IAV) comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of at least one artificial gene segment comprising a duplicated packaging signal, the result of which is a modified IAV that is replication competent and avirulent, and when co-infected with a wild type virus leads to segment exchange and compromises the spread of both viruses as well as methods of making and using same and methods of using the IAVs in the treatment and prevention of influenza-related diseases.