The present invention relates generally to immunization and immunotherapy for the treatment or prevention of HIV. In particular, the methods include in vivo and/or ex vivo enrichment of HIV-specific CD4+ T cells.

MicroRNAs embedded within an intron, which are called ‘mirtrons,’ can be used as a platform for expressing one or more shRNA or miRNA mimics in a lentiviral vector. The inventors developed a strategy to improve lentiviral titering by reducing the production of shRNA/miRNA from the vector during packaging through the introduction of splice-inhibiting antisense oligonucleotides during vector packaging, which inhibit the splicing of the mirtron and subsequent processing of the shRNAs/miRNAs. In an aspect is provided a kit comprising an oligonucleotide comprising a mirtron splice site binding sequence and a lentiviral packaging system. In an aspect is provided a method for producing a lentivirus. The method comprises the step of transfecting a cell with an oligonucleotide comprising a mirtron splice site binding sequence and a lentiviral packaging system; thereby producing the lentivirus.

The present invention relates generally to immunotherapy for preventing HIV infection in HIV-negative individuals. In particular, the methods include in vivo and/or ex vivo enrichment of HIV-specific CD4+ T cells.

This invention relates to novel anti-HIV antibodies that can be used in the treatment and detection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These antibodies exhibit a high degree of sensitivity and can provide a broad range of specificity.

A method of modulating some or all copies of a gene in a cell is provided including introducing into a cell one or more ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequences that comprise a portion that is complementary to all or a portion of each of the one or more target nucleic acid sequences, and a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a Cas protein and maintaining the cells under conditions in which the Cas protein is expressed and the Cas protein binds and modulates the one or more target nucleic acid sequences in the cell.

Nucleic acid molecules such as shRNA clusters and artificial miRNA clusters are disclosed, Also disclosed are methods of use, compositions, cells, viral particles, and kits relating to the nucleic acid molecules disclosed herein. The disclosure provides, at least in part nucleic acid molecules such as shRNA clusters encoding shRNA-like molecules and artificial miRNA clusters encoding modified pri-miRNA-like molecules. The shRNA clusters and artificial miRNA clusters disclosed herein can be used, for example, to produce artificial RNA molecules, e.g., RNAi molecules. Cells, viral particles, compositions (e.g., pharmaceutical compositions), kits, and methods relating to the nucleic acid molecules, e.g., shRNA clusters and artificial miRNA clusters, are also disclosed. The nucleic acid molecules (e.g., shRNA clusters and artificial miRNA clusters), artificial RNA molecules (e.g., RNAi molecules), cells, viral particles, compositions (e.g., pharmaceutical compositions), and kits and methods disclosed herein can be used to treat or prevent a disease, e.g., HIV infection and/or AIDS.

Compositions for specifically cleaving target sequences in retroviruses include nucleic acids encoding a Clustered Regularly Interspace Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR) associated endonuclease and a guide RNA sequence complementary to one or more target nucleic acid sequences in a retrovirus genome.

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.

Provided herein are compositions of conjugates of a guide RNA(s)-CRISPR Cas protein (RNP) complex. The conjugate comprises a guide RNA(s)-CRISPR Cas protein (RNP) complex and one or more molecules selected from PEG, non-PEG polymers, ligands for cellular receptors, lipids, oligonucleotides, polysaccharides and peptides and chemically linked to the Cas protein and/or guide RNA(s). The conjugates are delivered to targeted cells as RNP complexes, or formed in targeted cells from guide RNA conjugates and an mRNA or a viral vector encoding a Cas protein, or formed in targeted cells from a crRNA conjugates and a viral vector encoding both a Cas protein and a tracrRNA. Also provided are preparation methods and uses of these conjugates.

The disclosure is directed to a histidine-mutated anti-HIV antibody having one or more mutations at the residue Y53a, D58, K96, D97, N98, or T100a in the heavy chain of ibalizumab, and at the residue S26, L30, L33, Q89, Y92, S93 or Y94 in the light chain of ibalizumab. In addition, the disclosure also is directed to two histidine mutated variants with two mutations, one with mutations at the residues Y53a and Y94, and the other with mutations at the residues D58 and L30 in the heavy and light chains of ibalizumab, respectively.