IPEX (Immune dysregulation Polyendocinopathy X linked) syndrome is a primary immunodeficience caused by mutations in the gene encoding the transcription factor forkhead box P3 (FOXP3), which leads to the loss of function of thymus-derived CD4+CD25+ regulatory T (tTreg) cells. Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that T cell gene therapy approaches designed to selectively restore the repertoire of Treg cells by transfer of wild type FOXP3 gene is a promising potential cure for IPEX. However, there is still a need for a vector that can be used efficiently for the preparation of said Treg cells. The inventors thus compared 6 different lentiviral constructs according to 4 criteria (vector titers, level of transduction of human CD4+ T cells, level of expression of FOXP3 and ΔLNGFR genes, degree of correlation between both expression) and selected one construct comprising a bidirectional EFS-PGK promoter that showed remarkable efficiency.

The present invention is directed to an artificial nucleic acid and to polypeptides suitable for use in treatment or prophylaxis of an infection with Zika virus or a disorder related to such an infection. In particular, the present invention concerns a Zika virus vaccine. The present invention is directed to an artificial nucleic acid, polypeptides, compositions and vaccines comprising the artificial nucleic acid or the polypeptides. The invention further concerns a method of treating or preventing a disorder or a disease, first and second medical uses of the artificial nucleic acid, polypeptides, compositions and vaccines. Further, the invention is directed to a kit, particularly to a kit of parts, comprising the artificial nucleic acid, polypeptides, compositions and vaccines.

This disclosure provides platforms for delivery of herpes virus proteins to cells, particularly proteins that form complexes in vivo. In some embodiments these proteins and the complexes they form elicit potent neutralizing antibodies. Thus, presentation of herpes virus proteins using the disclosed platforms permits the generation of broad and potent immune responses useful for vaccine development.

The present invention relates to a screening composition for a therapeutic agent for coronavirus infection, comprising a CoV RdRp expression vector and a bicistronic reporter vector, a screening kit for a therapeutic agent for coronavirus infection, comprising the composition, and a method for screening a therapeutic agent for coronavirus infection using the composition or kit. When the screening composition for a therapeutic agent for coronavirus infection, provided by the present invention, is used, candidate materials that can have direct influences on the activity of CoV RdRp can be screened more quickly and easily, and thus, the composition can be widely used in the development of therapeutic agents for coronavirus infection.

Some embodiments of the methods and compositions provided herein relate to systems comprising a promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding a receptor, and an inducible promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding a payload. In some embodiments, transcription from the inducible promoter is induced by activation of the receptor. In some embodiments, transcription from the inducible promoter is further modulated by inhibiting a signal between the activated receptor and the inducible promoter.

Provided herein are genetically engineered gas vesicle expression systems (GVES) that are configured to express gas vesicles (GVs) in a mammalian cell, related gas vesicle polynucleotide constructs, gas vesicle reporting genetic circuits, vectors, genetically engineered mammalian cells, non-human mammalian hosts, compositions, methods and systems, which in several embodiments can be used together with contrast-enhanced imaging techniques to detect and report biological events in an imaging target site comprising a mammalian cell and/or organism.

The disclosure relates generally to nucleic acid vectors and packaging cell lines for in vivo expansion of T-cells. More particularly, the disclosure relates to intravenous or intratumoral injection of a lentiviral particle adapted for transduction and expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in vivo.

The present disclosure describes methods and systems for use in the production of adeno-associated virus (AAV) particles, including recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) particles. In certain embodiments, the production process and system use Spodoptera frugiperda insect cells (such as Sf9 or Sf21) as viral production cells. In certain embodiments, the production process and system use Baculoviral Expression Vectors (BEVs) in the production of AAV particles. In certain embodiments, the production process and system uses an engineered nucleic acid construct which encodes for AAV capsid proteins, such as VP1, VP2 and VP3. In certain embodiments, the production process and system uses an engineered nucleic acid construct which encodes for AAV replication proteins, such as Rep78 and Rep52.

The invention relates to platforms for delivery of herpes virus proteins to cells, particularly proteins that form complexes in vivo. In some embodiments these proteins and the complexes they form elicit potent neutralizing antibodies. Thus, presentation of herpes virus proteins using such platforms permits the generation of broad and potent immune responses useful for vaccine development.

In some aspects, cardiac-specific expression cassettes are provided herein. In some aspects, provided herein is an expression cassette comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a gene product for therapy of a heart disease, wherein the polynucleotide sequence is operably linked to promoter (e.g., a cardiac-specific promoter), and optionally an enhancer (e.g., a cardiac-specific enhancer). In some aspects, the disclosure provides recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) virions, comprising a capsid protein and a viral genome comprising an expression cassette comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a therapeutic gene product, e.g., dwarf open reading frame (DWORF) polypeptide, operably linked to a promoter, the expression cassette flanked by inverted terminal repeats. The disclosure further provides pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treating or preventing heart disease.