Plants are created with desired traits by conveniently and rapidly inhibiting methylation of target DNA in plants, without using recombination technology. Scaffold RNA produced by transcription of target DNA is cleaved in an RNA-directed DNA methylation mechanism.

A method for stably achieving high expression of a foreign gene in mammalian cells using a novel DNA element is disclosed. More specifically, the present application discloses a DNA element which enhances the activation of transcription by changing the chromatin structure around a gene locus into which a foreign gene expression unit has been introduced.

The present invention provides mammalian cell expression vectors that impart to mammalian host cells an ability to produce high levels of foreign gene-derived proteins. A ubiquitously acting chromatin opening element (UCOE) is introduced into an expression vector that has a plasmid DNA integrated into a transcriptional hot spot on the chromosome of a dihydrofolate reductase gene-deficient host cell so that it allows for selection of strains that grow in hypoxanthine-thymidine (hereinafter denoted as HT)-free medium, whereby transformants will produce a protein of interest in increased amounts.

Methods and compositions for producing hemoglobin and treating alpha-thalassemia are disclosed.

A field of gene therapy and engineering of viral vectors for use in gene therapy. More specifically, it is disclosed herein adeno-associated virus vectors and expression cassettes comprising S/MAR sequences of c-Myc or IFN-β for the treatment of liver diseases, notably in neonates.

Improved plant transient expression systems using optimized geminiviral vectors that efficiently produce heteromultimeric proteins are described herein. Examples of high yields are shown herein, including two, three, or four fluorescent proteins coexpressed simultaneously. Various antibodies were produced using the optimized vectors with special focus given to the creation and production of a chimeric broadly neutralizing anti-flavivirus antibody. The variable regions of this murine antibody, 2A10G6, were codon optimized and fused to a human IgG1. Analysis of the chimeric antibody showed that it was efficiently expressed in plants, can be purified to near homogeneity by a simple one-step purification process, retains its ability to recognize the Zika virus envelope protein, and induce an immune response against Zika virus. Two other monoclonal antibodies were produced at similar levels. This technology is versatile tool for the production of a wide spectrum of pharmaceutical multi-protein complexes in a fast, powerful, and cost-effective way.

The invention relates to nucleic acid modifications for a directed expression modulation by the targeted insertion or removal of CpG dinucleotides. The invention also relates to modified nucleic acids and expression vectors.

A transgenic non-human mammal containing a heterologous heavy chain gene locus that is capable of producing soluble heavy chain only antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof following immunization.

Embodiments are directed to N.sub.3-kethoxal reagents and derivatives thereof, and related methods that allow fast and reversible labeling of single-stranded nucleic acids in live cells. By way of example, one aspect is directed to a process for reversible labeling of single-stranded guanine bases in live cells, which results in an effective in vivo method for transcriptome-wide RNA secondary structure mapping and RNA G-quadruplex prediction.

The disclosure provides methods and constructs for the stable production and isolation of biologically functional recombinant V3, a splice variant of the extracellular matrix proteoglycan versican, as well as the protein product and reagents for detecting the same. In one embodiment, the disclosure provides expression systems for expressing rV3. In one embodiment, the disclosure provides an expression system that properly N-glycosylates mammalian proteins, such as V3. In another embodiment, rV3 has been isolated and purified. In another embodiment, the disclosure provides a unique expression construct containing a ubiquitous chromatin opening element upstream of a strong promoter which drives expression of recombinant V3. In yet a further embodiment, the disclosure provides an isolated and purified recombinant V3 protein in amounts suitable for testing and use, and in pharmaceutical compositions thereof.