Disclosed herein include methods, compositions, and kits suitable for use in detecting the activation level of a signal transducer. In some embodiments, there are provided synthetic protein circuits wherein recruitment of synthetic protein circuit components to an association location upon activation of a signal transducer generates an active effector protein. The effector protein can be configured to carry out a variety of functions when in an active state, such as, for example, inducing cell death. Methods of treating a disease or disorder characterized by aberrant signaling are provided in some embodiments.

Disclosed herein include methods, compositions, and systems suitable for use in delivering a polynucleotide to a target cell of a subject in need thereof. In some embodiments, a viral vector comprises a polynucleotide encoding nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), matrix protein (M), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L), and one or more transgenes. The viral vector can comprise one or more of a conditionally stable fusion protein, a protease fusion protein, a degron fusion protein, and/or a glycoprotein derived of another species than the viral vector polynucleotide to enable control of viral vector transduction and/or replication.

Engineered fusion proteins comprising a self-excising degron for controlling protein production are disclosed. In particular, the inventors have constructed fusion proteins comprising a degron connected to a protein of interest through a cleavable linker comprising a hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease site. The degron can be removed from the protein of interest by a czs-encoded HCV protease such that the protein of interest can be produced with minimal structural modification. Clinically available HCV protease inhibitors can be used to block protease cleavage such that the degron is retained after inhibitor addition on subsequently synthesized protein copies. The degron when attached causes rapid degradation of the linked protein. Such fusions of a degron to a protein of interest will be especially useful when control over protein production with minimal structural modification is desired.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to compositions of messenger RNA vaccines and methods of administration thereof. Compositions provided herein include one or more RNA polynucleotides having an open reading frame encoding a picornavirus capsid polyprotein and a protease. Compositions provided herein include one or more RNA polynucleotides having an open reading frame encoding an active product that modulates the expression, structure or function of at least one other RNA or product thereof.

Compositions and methods for targeted treatment of cancer are disclosed. In particular, the invention relates to methods of targeting anti-cancer therapy to cells exhibiting aberrant signaling associated with cancer pathogenesis by administering synthetic signaling proteins that couple detection of an oncogenic signal to release of therapeutic agents into cancerous cells.

Provided herein is a reporter system for identifying a cytokine receptor modulator and uses thereof.

Disclosed herein include methods, compositions, and systems suitable for use in delivering a polynucleotide to a target cell of a subject in need thereof. In some embodiments, a viral vector comprises a polynucleotide encoding nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), matrix protein (M), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L), and one or more transgenes. The viral vector can comprise one or more of a conditionally stable fusion protein, a protease fusion protein, a degron fusion protein, and/or a glycoprotein derived of another species than the viral vector polynucleotide to enable control of viral vector transduction and/or replication.

Compounds having drug and bio-affecting properties, their pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use are set forth. In particular, betulinic acid derivatives that possess unique antiviral activity are provided as HIV maturation inhibitors, as represented by compounds of Formula I:

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These compounds are useful for the treatment of HIV and AIDS.

The disclosure is directed to an isolated polynucleotide encoding a modified picornavirus 3C protease, wherein the modified picornavirus 3C protease includes an altered secondary structure and one or more amino acid substitution(s) located at one or more amino acid position(s) corresponding to positions 16-25, 99-100 and 115-130 of a wild-type Fool-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) 3C protease, wherein the isolated polynucleotide encoding the modified picornavirus 3C protease, when transformed into and co-expressed in a host cell, enhances transgene expression of a P1 precursor polypeptide in comparison to an amount of P1 precursor polypeptide transgene expression exhibited in a host cell transformed and co-expressed with a control picornavirus 3C protease, wherein the one or more corresponding amino acid position(s) is/are identified by an alignment of the modified picornavirus 3C protease with the one or more of the wild type FMDV 3C protease(s). Methods for processing a picornavirus P1 precursor polypeptide into picornavirus viral proteins and/or virus-like particles using the isolated polynucleotides are also provided.

The present disclosure relates to systems, methods and compositions provided herein that include a compound protease. The compound protease can contain a protease domain, a cut site for another enzyme and an association domain. In some embodiments, the compound protease is part of a protein circuit.