The present invention relates to a two-part device, wherein a first part is an engineered antigen-presenting cell system (eAPCS), and a second part is an engineered TCR-presenting cell system (eTPCS).

Disclosed are non-naturally occurring zebrafish, such as transgenic zebrafish, which comprise a mutation in the rhodopsin (rho) gene. Also disclosed are methods of identifying compounds useful in treating retinal-specific defects and disorders, such as degeneration. Further disclosed are methods of identifying mutations in the rhodopsin gene that can cause retinal-specific defects.

The present disclosure provides transgenic nematode systems for assessing function of heterologous genes, their variants and drug discovery. The transgenic nematodes contain a heterologous gene that is inserted via homologous recombination at the native locus replacing and removing the nematode ortholog, wherein expression of the heterologous gene rescues function of the removed nematode ortholog and a transgenic control animal is provided. The heterologous gene may be further modified to provide a variant, such as a human clinical variant, whereby a transgenic test animal is provided. Those transgenic test animals are used in methods to assess function of the heterologous variant and drug screens to find therapeutic candidates reversing deviant activity back to wildtype.

Methods and constructs for engineering circular RNA are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods and constructs comprise a vector for making circular RNA, the vector comprising the following elements operably connected to each other and arranged in the following sequence: a.) a 5′ homology arm, b.) a 3′ group I intron fragment containing a 3′ splice site dinucleotide, c.) optionally, a 5′ spacer sequence, d.) a protein coding or noncoding region, e.) optionally, a 3′ spacer sequence, f) a 5′ Group I intron fragment containing a 5′ splice site dinucleotide, and g.) a 3′ homology arm, the vector allowing production of a circular RNA that is translatable or biologically active inside eukaryotic cells. Methods for purifying the circular RNA produced by the vector and the use of nucleoside modifications in circular RNA produced by the vector are also disclosed.

Artificial expression constructs for selectively modulating gene expression in selected central nervous system cell types are described. The artificial expression constructs can be used to selectively express synthetic genes or modify gene expression in GABAergic neurons generally; and/or GABAergic neuron cell types such as lysosomal associated membrane protein 5 (Lamp5) neurons; vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-expressing (Vip) neurons; somatostatin (Sst) neurons; and/or parvalbumin (Pvalb) neuron cell types. Certain artificial expression constructs additionally drive selective gene expression in Layer 4 and/or layer 5 intratelencephalic (IT) neurons, deep cerebellar nuclear neurons or cerebellar Purkinje cells.

Methods and constructs for engineering circular RNA are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods and constructs comprise a vector for making circular RNA, the vector comprising the following elements operably connected to each other and arranged in the following sequence: a.) a 5′ homology arm, b.) a 3′ group I intron fragment containing a 3′ splice site dinucleotide, c.) optionally, a 5′ spacer sequence, d.) a protein coding or noncoding region, e.) optionally, a 3′ spacer sequence, f.) a 5′ Group I intron fragment containing a 5′ splice site dinucleotide, and g.) a 3′ homology arm, the vector allowing production of a circular RNA that is translatable or biologically active inside eukaryotic cells. Methods for purifying the circular RNA produced by the vector and the use of nucleoside modifications in circular RNA produced by the vector are also disclosed.

Recombinant adenovirus genomes that include a heterologous open reading frame (ORF) and a self-cleaving peptide coding sequence are described. The recombinant adenovirus genomes and recombinant adenoviruses produced by the disclosed genomes can be used, for example, in high-throughput assays to measure virus replication kinetics. Methods for measuring replication kinetics of a recombinant adenovirus are also described.

Methods and constructs for engineering circular RNA are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods and constructs comprise a vector for making circular RNA, the vector comprising the following elements operably connected to each other and arranged in the following sequence: a.) a 5′ homology arm, b.) a 3′ group I intron fragment containing a 3′ splice site dinucleotide, c.) optionally, a 5′ spacer sequence, d.) a protein coding or noncoding region, e.) optionally, a 3′ spacer sequence, f) a 5′ Group I intron fragment containing a 5′ splice site dinucleotide, and g.) a 3′ homology arm, the vector allowing production of a circular RNA that is translatable or biologically active inside eukaryotic cells. Methods for purifying the circular RNA produced by the vector and the use of nucleoside modifications in circular RNA produced by the vector are also disclosed.

Recombinant adenovirus genomes that include a heterologous open reading frame (ORF) and a self-cleaving peptide coding sequence are described. The recombinant adenovirus genomes and recombinant adenoviruses produced by the disclosed genomes can be used, for example, in high-throughput assays to measure virus replication kinetics. Methods for measuring replication kinetics of a recombinant adenovirus are also described.

Disclosed are methods and constructs for engineering circular RNA. Disclosed is a vector for making circular RNA, said vector comprising the following elements operably connected to each other and arranged in the following sequence:

a.) a 5′ homology arm, b.) a 3′ group I intron fragment containing a 3′ splice site dinucleotide, c.) optionally, a 5′ spacer sequence, d.) a protein coding or noncoding region, e.) optionally, a 3′ spacer sequence, f) a 5′ Group I intron fragment containing a 5′ splice site dinucleotide, and g.) a 3′ homology arm, said vector allowing production of a circular RNA that is translatable or biologically active inside eukaryotic cells. In another embodiment, the vector can comprise the 5′ spacer sequence, but not the 3′ spacer sequence. In yet another embodiment, the vector can comprise the 3′ spacer sequence, but not the 5′ spacer sequence. Also disclosed is a method for purifying the circular RNA produced by the vector and the use of nucleoside modifications in circular RNA produced by the vector.