The present invention relates to the field of genetic engineering, and provides a zipper fastener structure of promoting formation of a protein dimer and application thereof. The zipper fastener can be applied to dimerization of proteins of the same type and dimerization of proteins of different types, and can also be applied to polypeptide cycle formation, polypeptide dimerization, and polypeptide extension. A ESAT6-CFP 10 dimer having an approximately native conformation can be obtained, and the dimer has better solubility, and has a better stimulating effect on memory T cells than a ESAT6-CFP10 fusion protein capable of linear fusion expression. A dimer zipper fastener can assist the formation of a more stable cyclic polypeptide, and a CCP polypeptide added with a dimer fastener can improve the detection rate for citrullinated autoantibodies in serum of a rheumatoid arthritis patient.

Engineered protein electron carriers, microorganisms expressing the same, and methods detecting regulated electron flow are described.

Methods and compositions for evaluating the efficiency of chromosomal rearrangement are provided. In some examples, systems comprising a first DNA molecule comprising the N-terminal portion of a first split reporter coding sequence linked to the C-terminal portion of a second split reporter coding sequence via a first intron, and a second DNA molecule comprising the N-terminal portion of said second split reporter coding sequence linked to the C-terminal portion of said first split reporter coding sequence via a second intron. The introns comprise at least one target site recognized by a genome editing reagent, such as a recombinase or endonuclease, such that recombination results in expression of the first or second reporter coding sequence following splicing of the introns.

Described herein are diagnostic and control fusion protein reagents and methods for use thereof in simple rapid and inexpensive hemagglutinin assays for the detection of subject antibodies directed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The present invention is directed to bi-specific monovalent diabodies that comprise an immunoglobulin Fc Domain (“bi-specific monovalent Fc diabodies”) and are composed of three polypeptide chains and which possess at least one binding site specific for an epitope of CD32B and one binding site specific for an epitope of CD79b (i.e., a “CD32B×CD79b bi-specific monovalent Fc diabody”). The bi-specific monovalent Fc diabodies of the present invention are capable of simultaneous binding to CD32B and CD79b. The invention is directed to such compositions, to pharmaceutical compositions that contain such bi-specific monovalent Fc diabodies and to methods for their use in the treatment of inflammatory diseases or conditions, and in particular, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and graft vs. host disease.

Methods of treating an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, methods of increasing apoptosis of pro-inflammatory immune cells or synoviocytes, methods of increasing the quantity of the anti-inflammatory regulatory T cells, and methods of slowing the progression of inflammation in a subject include systemically administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition including an effective amount of a TRAIL-conjugate. Preferably, the TRAIL-conjugate is effective for at least 3 days, more preferably at least 7 days, without being part of a nanocomplex that modulates the circulation half-life or release kinetics of the TRAIL-conjugate. Combination therapies including administering a second active agent, most preferably a TNF-α inhibitor, as well as pharmaceutical composition dosage units including a TRAIL-conjugate and a TNF-α inhibitor in an effective amount for a single once weekly dose for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis are also provided.

The present disclosure provides T-cell modulatory antigen-presenting polypeptides, including single-chain antigen-presenting polypeptides and multimeric antigen-presenting polypeptides. The present disclosure provides nucleic acids comprising nucleotide sequences encoding T-cell modulatory antigen-presenting polypeptides of the present disclosure, as well as cells genetically modified with the nucleic acids. A T-cell modulatory antigen-presenting polypeptide of the present disclosure is useful for modulating activity of a T cell. Thus, the present disclosure provides methods of modulating activity of a T cell.

Described herein are Galectin-1/Galectin-3 multivalent protein complexes and uses thereof. In some aspects, Galectin-1/1 Galectin-3 multivalent protein complexes are useful to treat inflammatory conditions in a subject.

Provided herein antibodies, activatable antibodies (AAs), bispecific antibodies, and bispecific activatable antibodies (BAAs). Also provided herein are methods of making and methods of use of these antibodies, AAs, bispecific antibodies, and BAAs.

Metapneumovirus (MPV) F proteins stabilized in a prefusion conformation, nucleic acid molecules and vectors encoding these proteins, and methods of their use and production are disclosed. In several embodiments, the MPV F proteins and/or nucleic acid molecules can be used to generate an immune response to MPV in a subject. In additional embodiments, the therapeutically effective amount of the MPV F ectodomain trimers and/or nucleic acid molecules can be administered to a subject in a method of treating or preventing MPV infection.