The invention provides a method of propagating an adenoviral vector. The method comprises (a) providing a cell comprising a cellular genome comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a tetracycline operon repressor protein (tetR), and (b) contacting the cell with an adenoviral vector comprising a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding a toxic protein. The heterologous nucleic acid sequence is operably linked to a promoter and one or more tetracycline operon operator sequences (tetO), and expression of the heterologous nucleic acid sequence is inhibited in the presence of tetR, such that the adenoviral vector is propagated. The invention also provides a system comprising the aforementioned cell and adenoviral vector.

Provided herein are adeno-associated virus (AAV) compositions that can express a phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) polypeptide in a cell, thereby restoring the PAH gene function. Also provided are methods of use of the AAV compositions, and packaging systems for making the AAV compositions.

The present invention provides viral-based nanoparticles for therapeutic and diagnostic use, and methods for making and using the nanoparticles. Specifically, such nanoparticles comprise decoration-competent viral particles shells such as expanded capsids of phages, stabilized with engineered decoration proteins that have been linked to one or more compounds not naturally occurring on a wild type viral capsid.

Disclosed are a protein and a gene each of which is a factor involved in latent infection with a herpesvirus. An antibody against the factor was detected in approximately 50% of patients suffering from mental disorders, whereas the antibody was hardly detected in healthy persons. Further, a mouse having SITH-1 introduced therein developed a mental disorder such as a manic-depressive illness or depression-like disorder. Based on these findings, it is possible to provide a method for objectively determining a mental disorder and an animal model of a mental disorder.

Described herein is an adeno-associated virus (AAV) complex platform including an asymmetrically modified inverted terminal repeat (ITR). The AAV complex has advantages of increased productivity and expression efficiency of a transgene, and decreased genotoxicity, by having an asymmetric ITR in which any one of two ITRs is modified. Also, described herein is a composition comprising the adeno-associated virus complex and a method of gene therapy.

Disclosed are a protein and a gene each of which is a factor involved in latent infection with a herpesvirus. An antibody against the factor was detected in approximately 50% of patients suffering from mental disorders, whereas the antibody was hardly detected in healthy persons. Further, a mouse having SITH-1 introduced therein developed a mental disorder such as a manic-depressive illness or depression-like disorder. Based on these findings, it is possible to provide a method for objectively determining a mental disorder and an animal model of a mental disorder.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) Clade F vectors or AAV vector variants (relative to AAV9) for precise editing of the genome of a cell and methods and kits thereof are provided. Targeted genome editing using the AAV Clade F vectors or AAV vector variants provided herein occurred at frequencies that were shown to be 1,000 to 100,000 fold more efficient than has previously been reported. Also provided are methods of treating a disease or disorder in a subject by editing the genome of a cell of the subject via transducing the cell with an AAV Clade F vector or AAV vector variant as described herein and further transplanting the transduced cell into the subject to treat the disease or disorder of the subject. Also provided herein are methods of treating a disease or disorder in a subject by in vivo genome editing by directly administering the AAV Clade F vector or AAV vector variant as described herein to the subject.

Provided herein are adeno-associated virus (AAV) compositions that can express a phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) polypeptide in a cell, thereby restoring the PAH gene function. Also provided are methods of use of the AAV compositions, and packaging systems for making the AAV compositions.

Provided herein are methods of treating a subject having a disease or disorder associated with a PAH gene mutation. The methods generally comprise administering to the subject a therapeutically effective does of a recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) that can express a phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) polypeptide in a cell and thereby restore PAH gene function in the subject.

The present invention relates to a modified and optimized sFlt1 nucleic acid for inclusion in a virus vector. Use of such vectors can be used for treatment of ocular disorders causing neovascularization, such as macular degeneration.