Provided herein are methods of freezing mammalian cells for storage or improving thaw recovery of cell banks comprising freezing mammalian cells in a freezing medium having a pH of 6.7 to 8.5.

The present disclosure provides recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) virions with an engineered capsid protein identified using a high-throughput sequencing screen or rational design. In particular, the disclosure provides AAV5 virions and capsid proteins with increased transduction efficiency in cardiac cells, increased cell-type selectivity, and/or other desirable properties.

Provided herein are biologically active single chain relaxin peptides. In particular the present invention relates to single chain relaxin peptides comprising a B chain derived from relaxin-2, the peptide being truncated by one or more amino acid residues at the N-terminus with respect to the sequence of the B chain of native relaxin-2. Typically the single chain relaxin peptides selectively bind to the RXFP1 receptor.

Expression vector systems are provided for increased production of a recombinant GDF-5 (rhGDF-5) protein. Also provided are transformed host cells that were engineered to produce and express high levels of rhGDF-5 protein. Methods for production and high expression of rhGDF-5 protein are disclosed herein. The methods of enhancing production and protein expression of rhGDF-5 protein as disclosed are cost-effective, time-saving and are of manufacturing quality.

Isolated polypeptides that include a cleavable moiety that is a substrate for at least one protease (e.g., MT-SP1 and/or an MMP) and isolated polypeptides that include a substrate that has a first cleavable moiety cleavable by a first protease and a second cleavable moiety cleavable by a second protease are disclosed. Activatable molecules including the isolated polypeptides are disclosed. Methods of making and using the isolated polypeptides and activatable molecules including the isolated polypeptides in a variety of therapeutic, diagnostic, and prophylactic applications are disclosed.