The invention relates to a method for modifying a template double stranded polynucleotide, especially for characterisation using nanopore sequencing. The method produces from the template a plurality of modified double stranded polynucleotides. These modified polynucleotides can then be characterised.

Genetically modified pigs having at least one cancer and/or at least one co-morbid condition are provided. Also provided are methods of using the pig and derived tumor cells to screen for therapeutic compounds, medical devices or procedures, and/or combinations thereof. Further provided are methods of producing personalized cancer models, including obtaining a tumor sample from a subject, identifying mutations in the tumor sample, and producing a genetically modified tumor or tumor cell line having the same mutations.

Provided herein are methods for facilitating or inducing stable transgene integration and expression in a proliferating cell, comprising administering to the cell (i) a recombinant AAV (rAAV) vector comprising the transgene flanked by transposon-derived inverted terminal repeat sequences, which sequences are in turn flanked by AAV-derived inverted terminal repeat regions, and (ii) a source of a transposase that recognises said transposon-derived inverted terminal repeat sequences and directs the genomic integration of the transgene into the genome of the proliferating cell. Also provide are methods and transgene delivery systems for the treatment or prevention of diseases affecting, associated with or characterised by proliferating cells.

The present invention features novel, diverse, hybrid and engineered recombinase enzymes, and the utility of such proteins with associated recombination factors for carrying out DNA amplification assays. The present invention also features different recombinase ‘systems’ having distinct biochemical activities in DNA amplification assays, and differing requirements for loading factors, single-stranded DNA binding proteins (SSBs), and the quantity of crowding agent employed.

The present invention provides cell lines for high efficiency genome editing using cas/CRISPR systems, methods of generating such cells lines, and methods of generating mutations in the genome of an organism using such cell lines.

Provided herein, among other things, is a conjugate comprising a polymerase and a nucleoside triphosphate, where the polymerase and the nucleoside triphosphate are covalently linked via a linker that comprises a cleavable linkage. A set of such conjugates, where the conjugates correspond to G, A, T (or U) and C is also provided. Methods for synthesizing a nucleic acid of a defined sequence are also provided. The conjugates can also be used for sequencing applications.

In an enzymatic synthesis of 3′,3′-cGAMP, other types of cyclic dinucleotides, c-di-GMP and c-di-AMP, are produced as by-products. One problem to be solved in order to establish a practical method for enzymatic synthesis of 3′,3′-cGAMP is suppression of production of these other types of cyclic dinucleotides during the synthesis. As a result of intensive studies, the inventors of the present invention found a variation of 3′,3′-cGAMP synthase by which the production of c-di-GMP and c-di-AMP is suppressed, and established a 3′,3′-cGAMP enzymatic synthesis system using this variation of the enzyme to complete the present invention. This enzyme brings about significantly reduced production of c-di-GMP and c-di-AMP, compared to the wild-type 3′,3′-cGAMP synthase. Accordingly, a production method using this enzyme makes it possible to reduce the production of other types of cyclic dinucleotides in comparison to conventional enzymatic synthesis methods, and efficiently synthesize 3′,3′-cGAMP.

The present invention is based, in part, on the discovery and characterization of the CD-NTase family of proteins, as well as compositions comprising CD-NTases, methods of producing nucleotide-based second messengers using such polypeptides, and methods of screening for modulators of the structure, expression, and/or activity of such polypeptides.

The present invention features novel, diverse, hybrid and engineered recombinase enzymes, and the utility of such proteins with associated recombination factors for carrying out DNA amplification assays. The present invention also features different recombinase ‘systems’ having distinct biochemical activities in DNA amplification assays, and differing requirements for loading factors, single-stranded DNA binding proteins (SSBs), and the quantity of crowding agent employed.

This invention provides nucleoside polyphosphate analogues each of which comprises a tag comprising a plurality of Raman-scattering moieties; compounds comprising said nucleoside polyphosphate analogs. This invention also provides nucleotide polymerases with one or more attached and/or conjugated noble metal nanoparticles, wherein the noble metal nanoparticles are surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates thereby creating a region of enhanced sensitivity for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) within or adjacent to the polymerase. This invention also provides a surface with regions of enhanced sensitivity for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy comprising interspersed rough or nanostructured noble metal surface. This invention also provides methods for determining the sequence of a single stranded DNA or RNA polynucleotide using one or more of nucleoside polyphosphate analogues, polymerase with noble metal nanoparticles, and surface with noble metal.