This disclosure provides novel anionic amphiphilic β-hairpin peptides that self-assemble under appropriate conditions to form a reversible gel-sol hydrogel that can be used, for example, to readily deliver protein therapeutics and cells by injection to a target location in a subject.

Compositions and methods for treating cancer in humans are provided using CARs. The invention includes engineered CARs (chimeric receptor antigens) and genetically modified immune cells that express such a CAR with a high affinity for VEGFR. More specifically, the cells are CAR-T cells recognizing VEGFR-2 on solid tumors, uses thereof, compositions thereof and methods of making. The invention includes therapeutic methods to treat VEGFR-2 dependent cancers targeting tumor angiogenesis. A chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that binds to VEGFR-2, an epitope or fragment thereof, or a variant thereof.

In order to produce chondroitin sulfate in an animal-free manner, engineered E. coli host cells were modified so as to reduce expression of an endogenous gene for fructosyltransferase (kfoE); reduce expression of an endogenous gene for 3′-phosphoadenosine-5′-phosphosulfate reductase (cysH); and express one or more exogenous sulfotransferases. Expression of proteins forming ATP-binding cassette transporters were also reduced to limit export of glycosaminoglycans from the cells. The recombinant microorganisms are able produce all three components identified for chondroitin sulfate production—chondroitin, sulfate donor, and sulfotransferase. These modified E. coli are capable of complete, essentially one-step biosynthesis of chondroitin sulfate at a variety of sulfation levels from simple microbial media components and glucose. This is a major advantage over current production methods that depend on the natural distribution of chondroitin sulfate types in the animal tissue.

The present invention relates to a research tool for structural biology, in particular to enhance the determination of the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules. More specifically, the invention serves to improve the overall feasibility of structure determination providing higher resolution and better quality of the three-dimensional structures of proteins by complex-formation with a novel fusion polypeptide.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods relating to modified mini-nucleosome core proteins and/ or delivery of nucleic acids. In particular, the present disclosure includes, among other things, non-viral proteinaceous vehicles for delivery of nucleic acids. In various embodiments, non-viral proteinaceous vehicles provided herein include (a) a nucleic acid binding domain; (b) a targeting domain; (c) a nucleic acid release domain; and, optionally, (d) further domains including, e.g., one or more of a stability domain, an oligomerization domain, and/or a linker domain. In various embodiments, the proteinaceous vehicles include one or more modified residues.

A method for refolding an antibody, a process for producing a refolded antibody, a refolded antibody, and uses thereof are provided. A method for refolding an antibody in a liquid phase comprises the steps of denaturing an inactive antibody binding directly or through a linker to a peptide, the peptide having an isoelectric point lower than the isoelectric point of the inactive antibody, and dispersing in a liquid phase the peptide-binding inactive antibody denatured in the step above. Also provided is a process for producing a refolded antibody.

A fusion protein includes heat shock protein 10 and brazzein protein. The fusion protein has an enhanced anti-oxidation activity and skin cell proliferation effect. It can be used as a cosmetic composition for ameliorating skin wrinkles. The cosmetic composition including the fusion protein can be advantageously used in future as a material of a functional cosmetic product.

The invention relates to multimers such as tetramers of polypeptides and tetramers and octamers of effector domains, such as antigen binding sites (eg, antibody or TCR binding sites that specifically bind to antigen or pMHC, or variable domains thereof) or peptides such as incretin, insulin or hormone peptides.

Antibodies and antigen-binding antibody fragments that bind to GPIIb/IIIa and chimeric polypeptides comprising these binding molecules are disclosed. Some of these antibodies and antigen-binding antibody fragments preferentially bind GPIIb/IIIa on activated platelets while others do not show a preference for binding GPIIb/IIIa on resting versus activated platelets. Some of these antibodies and antibody fragments do not inhibit the interaction of GPIIb/IIIa with fibrinogen, while some others do. The disclosed antibodies do not induce platelet activation. Some of these antibodies and antigen-binding antibody fragments are useful in targeting therapeutic agents such as clotting factors to platelets while others are useful in reducing platelet aggregation and/or thrombus formation.

A polypeptide and polynucleotides comprising at least two carboxy-terminal peptides (CTP) of chorionic gonadotrophin attached to a non-human peptide-of-interest are disclosed. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the non-human polypeptides and polynucleotides of the invention and methods of using both human and non-human polypeptides and polynucleotides are also disclosed.