The present disclosure provides targeting peptides and vectors containing a sequence that encodes targetting peptides that deliver agents, to the eye. The present inventors have discovered peptides that function to target agents, such as viral vectors, to ocular cells. The present disclosure describes a method to utilize these novel peptides to direct, for example, viral capsids to the cell type of interest. In this instance, ocular cells (such as retinal cells) are targeted by the identified peptides. Vectors harboring capsid proteins modified to include such peptides can be used to provide therapeutic agents to the eye.

The invention features compositions and methods for identifying orthogonal transcriptional switches derived from Tet repressor homologs for Saccharomyces cerevishiae regulated by 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG) and other ligands.

Provided are compositions and methods for enhancing recombinant protein production. The compositions and methods involve use of Ribose Binding Protein (RBP) as a segment of a fusion polypeptide, whereby the RBP segment enhances production of the fusion protein. The fusion proteins contain the RBP sequentially in a single fusion protein with a polypeptide for which enhanced expression is desired. Recombinant expression vectors encoding the fusion proteins that contain and RBP segment are included, as are cells that contain the expression vectors. Methods for separating fusion proteins and for liberating a polypeptide segment that is part of the fusion protein are also provided.

Provided are compositions and methods for enhancing recombinant protein production. The compositions and methods involve use of Ribose Binding Protein (RBP) as a segment of a fusion polypeptide, whereby the RBP segment enhances production of the fusion protein. The fusion proteins contain the RBP sequentially in a single fusion protein with a polypeptide for which enhanced expression is desired. Recombinant expression vectors encoding the fusion proteins that contain and RBP segment are included, as are cells that contain the expression vectors. Methods for separating fusion proteins and for liberating a polypeptide segment that is part of the fusion protein are also provided.

Embodiments disclosed herein provide artificial expression systems comprising the zinc-finger containing transcription factors and engineered promoters to modulate expression of genes of interest. Engineered zinc-finger transcription factors that interact with engineered promoters constitute synthetic and regulatable expression systems which facilitate the modulation of gene expression as desired.

This invention pertains to mutant Cas9 nucleic acids and proteins for use in CRISPR/Cas endonuclease systems, and their methods of use. In particular, the invention pertains to an isolated mutant Cas9 protein, wherein the isolated mutant Cas9 protein is active in a CRISPR/Cas endonuclease system, wherein the CRISPR/Cas endonuclease system displays reduced off-target editing activity and maintained on-target editing activity relative to a wild-type CRISPR/Cas endonuclease system. The invention also includes isolated nucleic acids encoding mutant Cas9 proteins, ribonucleoprotein complexes and CRISPR/Cas endonuclease systems having mutant Cas9 proteins that display reduced off-target editing activity and maintained on-target editing activity relative to a wild-type CRISPR/Cas endonuclease system.

Provided are compositions and methods for enhancing recombinant protein production. The compositions and methods involve use of Ribose Binding Protein (RBP) as a segment of a fusion polypeptide, whereby the RBP segment enhances production of the fusion protein. The fusion proteins contain the RBP sequentially in a single fusion protein with a polypeptide for which enhanced expression is desired. Recombinant expression vectors encoding the fusion proteins that contain and RBP segment are included, as are cells that contain the expression vectors. Methods for separating fusion proteins and for liberating a polypeptide segment that is part of the fusion protein are also provided.

This invention pertains to isolated mutant Cas9 nucleic acids and proteins for use in CRISPR/Cas endonuclease systems and their methods of use. In particular, the invention pertains to an isolated mutant Cas9 protein, wherein the isolated mutant Cas9 protein is active in a CRISPR/Cas endonuclease system, wherein the CRISPR/Cas endonuclease system displays a lower ratio of reduced off-target editing activity to on-target editing activity for at least one target site relative to the corresponding ratio of reduced off-site editing activity to on-target editing activity of a wild-type CRISPR/Cas endonuclease system having a WT-Cas9 protein of SEQ ID NO:5.

The present disclosure provides targeting peptides and vectors containing a sequence that encodes targetting peptides that deliver agents, to the eye. The present inventors have discovered peptides that function to target agents, such as viral vectors, to ocular cells. The present disclosure describes a method to utilize these novel peptides to direct, for example, viral capsids to the cell type of interest. In this instance, ocular cells (such as retinal cells) are targeted by the identified peptides. Vectors harboring capsid proteins modified to include such peptides can be used to provide therapeutic agents to the eye.

Embodiments disclosed herein provide artificial expression systems comprising the zinc-finger containing transcription factors and engineered promoters to modulate expression of genes of interest. Engineered zinc-finger transcription factors that interact with engineered promoters constitute synthetic and regulatable expression systems which facilitate the modulation of gene expression as desired.