In one aspect, the disclosure provides cross-linked materials that include multivalent lectins with at least two binding sites for glucose, wherein the lectins include at least one covalently linked affinity ligand which is capable of competing with glucose for binding with at least one of said binding sites; and conjugates that include two or more separate affinity ligands bound to a conjugate framework, wherein the two or more affinity ligands compete with glucose for binding with the lectins at said binding sites and wherein conjugates are cross-linked within the material as a result of non-covalent interactions between lectins and affinity ligands on different conjugates. These materials are designed to release amounts of conjugate in response to desired concentrations of glucose. Depending on the end application, in various embodiments, the conjugates may also include a drug and/or a detectable label.

Proteins containing a C-terminal thioester are important intermediates in semi-synthesis. Currently there is one main method for the synthesis of protein thioesters that relies upon the use of engineered inteins. The invention involves, in some aspects a method, utilizing Sortase A, for preparation of recombinant proteins containing a C-terminal .sup.αthioester. This new method for double ligatation is useful for synthesizing new or naturally occurring molecules such as a protein thioester.

Improved peptide compositions and synbody compositions are disclosed that show improved stability and antibiotic activity. The new antibacterial peptides for S. aureus have particular D-amino acid substitutions in order to increase protease stability while also preserving marked antibiotic activity. Thus, compositions and methods for treating infections related to S. aureus also are disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to branched polymers and polyplexes which find use in gene therapy applications as safe and non-toxic nucleic acid transfection agents.

Disclosed herein, are compositions comprising one or more molecular guidance system (MGS) peptides and a cytotoxic agent. Also described herein, are methods of administering the compositions to patients with cancer.

High-polymer-density bioconjugate compositions including multi-layer polymer bioconjugates, polymer backfilled bioconjugates, and multi-layer polymer backfilled bioconjugates, and methods for making the compositions.

Methods and compositions are provided for hybrid telodendrimers and nanocarriers containing such hybrid telodendrimers.

Disclosed herein, are compositions comprising one or more molecular guidance system (MGS) peptides and a cytotoxic agent. Also described herein, are methods of administering the compositions to patients with cancer.

Disclosed are dendrimers of formula (I): ##STR00001##
and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the dendrimer of formula (I) and methods of using the same for treating cancer.

A molecular structure comprising a targeting moiety, a multi-functional peptide platform and a plurality of controllably released bioactive agents attached thereto is provided herein.