The present invention provides an expression vector, host cells, methods and kits for the treatment or prevention of a flavivirus infection in a subject.

The present invention provides a chimeric protein comprising a VWF protein comprising the D′ domain and D3 domain of VWF, one or more XTEN sequence, and a FVIII protein, wherein the VWF fragment, the XTEN sequence, or the FVIII protein are linked to or associated with each other. The chimeric protein can further comprise one or more Ig constant region or a portion thereof (e.g., an Fc region). A polypeptide chain comprising a VWF fragment of the invention binds to or is associated with a polypeptide chain comprising a FVIII protein linked to an XTEN sequence and the polypeptide chain comprising the VWF fragment can prevent or inhibit binding of endogenous VWF to the FVIII protein linked to the XTEN sequence. By preventing or inhibiting binding of endogenous VWF to the FVIII protein, which is a half-life limiting factor for FVIII, the VWF fragment can induce extension of half-life of the chimeric protein comprising a FVIII protein. The invention also includes nucleotides, vectors, host cells, methods of using the VWF fragment, or the chimeric proteins.

The present invention provides an optogenetic chimeric fusion polypeptide comprising an optimized amino acid sequence of the plant phototropin domain LOV2 fused to an amino acid sequence of the bacterial amyloidogenic effector RepA-WH1. Optimized LOV2 enables navigation through the folding landscape of RepA-WH1 from solubility to its aggregation as oligomers or amyloid fibres. Thus, this polypeptide assembles as hydrogels and amyloid fibres in the darkness, while under blue light illumination forms oligomeric particles that are proteotoxic for cells, preferably bacteria. This polypeptide is therefore proposed for inducing the formation of cytotoxic amyloid oligomers in cells that are targeted for killing.

The present inventions are compositions and methods of using at least a portion of an isolated and purified α-crystallin polypeptide that includes one or more β-pleated sheets and that prevents neurotoxicity and amyloidogenesis.

In certain aspects, the disclosure provides ALK7 antagonists. In certain aspects, these ALK7 antagonists are can be used to improve metabolic parameters in a patient in need thereof. In certain aspects, these ALK7 antagonists can be used to treat or prevent one or more kidney-associated disease or condition in a patient in need thereof. In certain aspects, these ALK7 antagonists can be used to treat or prevent cancer.

Compositions containing multivalent and monovalent multispecific complexes having scaffolds such as antibodies that support such binding functionalities are described. The use of and methods of compositions containing multivalent and monovalent multispecific complexes having scaffolds, such as antibodies, that support such binding functionalities are also described.

Disclosed are chimeric polypeptides based on viral membrane fusion proteins. More particularly, the present invention discloses chimeric polypeptides that comprise a virion surface exposed portion of a viral fusion protein and a heterologous structure-stabilizing moiety, and to complexes of those chimeric polypeptides. The present invention also discloses the use of these complexes in compositions and methods for eliciting an immune response to a fusion protein of an enveloped virus, or complex of the fusion protein, and/or for treating or preventing an enveloped virus infection. The present invention further discloses the use of the heterologous structure-stabilizing moiety for oligomerizing heterologous molecules of interest.

The present disclosure relates to antibodies and proteins comprising an antigen-binding portion thereof that specifically bind to the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17A and a peptide tag that binds hyaluronan (HA). The disclosure more specifically relates to specific antibodies and proteins that are IL-17A antagonists (inhibit the activities of IL-17A and IL-17AF) and are capable of inhibiting IL-17A induced cytokine production in in vitro assays, and having an inhibitory effect in an antigen-induced arthritis model in vivo. The disclosure further relates to compositions and methods of use for said antibodies and proteins to treat pathological disorders that can be treated by inhibiting IL-17A or IL17AF mediated activity, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), lupus nephritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma or cystic fibrosis or other autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.

Methods and compositions for enhancing the resistance of plants to plant pests are provided. Chimeric pesticidal polypeptides and nucleic acid molecules encoding the chimeric pesticidal polypeptides are provided. The chimeric pesticidal polypeptides comprising a solubility-enhancing polypeptide operably linked to a polypeptide comprising pesticidal activity. The nucleic acid molecules can be used in expression cassettes for making transformed plants with enhanced resistance to plant pests. Further provided are transformed plants, plant tissues, plant cells, other host cells, and seeds as well as pesticidal compositions.

The present invention relates to the field of protein expression. More specifically, the present invention provides compositions and methods for increasing the expression and signaling of proteins on cell surfaces. In particular embodiments, the present invention provides nucleic acids and amino acid sequences useful for improving/increasing protein expression on the cell surface. In several embodiments, the sequences are operably linked to the N-terminal end of the protein of interest. The nucleic acid sequence encoding the sequence tag and the protein comprise part of an expression vector. The protein is expressed with the N-terminal sequence tag. In certain embodiments, the sequences of the present invention can be used with one or more chaperone or accessory proteins. In particular embodiments, the one or more chaperone/accessory proteins are encoded by the same vector or separate vectors. In other embodiments, the chaperone/accessory proteins are encoded the same vector that encodes the protein of interest.