The present disclosure relates to biofragment compositions that comprise bioparticle fragments and at least one heterologous antigen-binding molecule. In some embodiments, the biofragment is typically derived from a larger, intact bioparticle that express the at least one heterologous antigen-binding molecule at the surface, and the biofragment has increased solubility to facilitate assays for antigen detection. The disclosure also relates the related methods of using and making the biofragment compositions, as well as systems and devices implementing the biofragment compositions. In some embodiments, the related methods, systems and devices do not require additional detection reagents, such as animal derived detection antibodies.

In some embodiments the present invention provides influenza hemagglutinin (“HA”) polypeptides, proteins, and protein complexes that comprise a stalk domain that is engineered to facilitate maintenance of its native trimeric conformation, even if the head domain of the HA protein is removed or disrupted. In some embodiments, the present invention provides compositions comprising such polypeptides, proteins, and protein complexes, and methods of use of such proteins and compositions, for example as vaccine immunogens.

The invention provides enrichment platform devices for size-based capture of particles in solution. The enrichment platform device is useful for label-free capture of any particle. The invention relates to enrichment platform devices using nanowires and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. The invention provides methods for making the enrichment platform devices. The invention provides methods for using the enrichment platform devices for filtering particles, capturing particles, concentrating particles, and releasing viable particles.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods involving diagnostic tests with multiple test antigens. The present invention involves the expanded use of test antigens as cross-reactive control antigens (CCAs). The invention advantageously provides for enhanced test results analysis by simultaneously providing both test antigen and CCA signal results. These results, in turn, allow useful sample comparison and cross-reference between samples to more accurately identify and verify the fidelity of test results obtained for multiple infective agents at once. The present invention may include compositions and methods for detecting infection by Zika virus or another flavivirus, and may distinguish between infections caused by genetically similar agents.

Air flow systems, devices and methods for monitoring airborne agents include airborne agent collectors. Airborne agent collectors for collecting and detecting the presence and/or identification of an airborne agent(s) include a soluble and hydrophilic polycaprolactone (PCL) that has been treated with a base having a pH greater than 8 and in some embodiments, also treated with a neutralizing agent for increasing hydrophilicity. Detection and identification of airborne agents captured by an airborne agent collector can be performed using any suitable analytical protocols. Such protocols include nucleic acid assays, protein assays, and bioassays. The airborne agent collectors can be used for the detection and identification of nucleic acid from cells or organisms of any type in fixed structures and in mobile, portable devices or machines.

The present invention relates to a method for quantitatively and/or qualitatively determining virus particles containing at least one binding site for a capture molecule and at least one binding site for a probe, to a kit for carrying out said method, and to various uses.

A flavivirus Envelope Dimer Epitope (EDE) for use in vaccinating an individual against one or more flaviviruses wherein the EDE is a stabilized recombinant flavivirus, optionally dengue virus and/or zika envelope glycoprotein E ectodomain (sE) dimer, wherein the dimer is: covalently stabilized with at least one disulphide inter-chain bond between the two sE monomers, and/or non-covalently stabilized by substituting at least one amino acid residue in the amino acid sequence of at least one sE monomer with at least one bulky side chain amino acid, at the dimer interface or in domain 1 (D1)/domain 3 (D3) linker of each monomer, covalently stabilized with at least one sulfhydryl-reactive crosslinker between the two sE monomers, and/or covalently stabilised by being formed as a single polypeptide chain, optionally with a linker region, optionally a Glycine Serine rich linker region, separating the sE sequences, and/or covalently stabilized by linking the two sE monomers through modified sugars; and/or, wherein the dimer is a homodimer or heterodimer of native and/or mutant envelope polypeptides, from any one or two of DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4, Zika or other flavivirus; and wherein the one or more flaviviruses is selected from zika virus; zika virus and dengue virus; zika virus and other flaviviruses; flaviviruses other than dengue. The EDE may be a homodimer or heterodimer of native and/or mutant envelope polypeptides, from any one or two of DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4 and Zika. An isolated neutralizing antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof directed against the EDE as defined in any one of claims 1 to 29, optionally wherein said antibody or fragment thereof binds the five polypeptide segments of the dengue virus glycoprotein E ectodomain (sE) consisting of the residues 67-74, residues 97-106, residues 307-314, residues 148-159 and residues 243-251, or corresponding residues of the flavivirus or Zika virus glycoprotein E ectodomain, or consisting of Zika PF13 residues 67-77, residues 97-106, residues 313-315, residues 243-253, residue K373 or corresponding residues of the flavivirus glycoprotein E ectodomain, optionally wherein binding is unaffected by presence or absence of dengue N153 (Zika N154) glycan or corresponding residue, for use in a method for prevention and/or treatment of infection by one or more flaviviruses, wherein the one or more flaviviruses is selected from zika virus; zika virus and dengue virus; zika virus and other flaviviruses; flaviviruses other than dengue.

The invention relates to a method for determining the cell mediated immune competence of a subject. The method comprises conducting a cell-mediated immunoassay (CMI) on a sample comprising immune cells from a subject. The method further comprises detecting in vitro an immune response to a pool of peptides, wherein the pool of peptides is derived from at least three viral antigens.

Isolated mutant dengue virus E protein variants are disclosed. The variant comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1 and has one or more amino acid residue substitutions at position corresponding to Asn8 (N8), Arg9 (R9), Val12 (V 12) and/or Glu13 (E13). The variant may comprise an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to the SEQ ID NO: 1 and lack an infection-enhancing antibody-binding motif comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28 at domain I. An isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding the variant, a plasmid expressing the variant, a plasmid expressing a virus-like particle comprising the variant, a DNA vaccine, and a method of detecting the presence of a dengue virus in a biological sample are also disclosed.

Provided is an isolated binding protein including an antigen binding domain binding to an NS1 protein. The binding protein can identify and bind to the NS1 protein so as to detect dengue virus.