Described herein are synthetic methods for producing sequence-specific RNA oligonucleotides that eliminate impurities produced in prior art methods. In one aspect, an end-protected capture DNA complementary to a portion of the product RNA is employed. In another aspect, the template DNA is covalently or noncovalently linked to the RNA polymerase, either directly or through the use of a nontemplate DNA. In a third aspect, a flow chamber is employed. All of the methods can be used in combination.

Genetically modified cells that are compatible with multiple subjects, e.g., universal donor cells, and methods of generating said genetic modified cells are provided herein. The universal donor cells comprise at least one genetic modification within or near a gene that encodes one or more MHC-I or MHC-II human leukocyte antigens or a component or a transcriptional regulator of a MHC-I or MHC-II complex, wherein genetic modification comprises an insertion of a polynucleotide encoding a tolerogenic factor and/or survival factor. The universal donor cells may further comprise at least one genetic modification within or near a gene that encodes a survival factor, wherein said genetic modification comprises an insertion of a polynucleotide encoding a second tolerogenic factor and/or a different survival factor.

Genetically engineered bacteria, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and methods of treating or preventing autoimmune disorders, inhibiting inflammatory mechanisms in the gut, and/or tightening gut mucosal barrier function are disclosed.

Compositions for CDKL5 gene therapy are provided, as well as recombinant CDKL5 proteins. Such CDKL5 gene therapy compositions and/or recombinant CDKL5 proteins may incorporate cell-penetrating polypeptides and/or leader signal polypeptides. Also provided are methods of producing such gene therapy compositions and recombinant CDKL5 proteins, as well as pharmaceutical compositions, methods of treatment, and uses of the gene therapy compositions and recombinant CDKL5 proteins.

Compositions for CDKL5 gene therapy are provided, as well as recombinant CDKL5 proteins. Such CDKL5 gene therapy compositions and/or recombinant CDKL5 proteins may incorporate cell-penetrating polypeptides and/or leader signal polypeptides. Also provided are methods of producing such gene therapy compositions and recombinant CDKL5 proteins, as well as pharmaceutical compositions, methods of treatment, and uses of the gene therapy compositions and recombinant CDKL5 proteins.

A splice variant of bcr-abl mRNA that produces BCR-ABL protein with a truncated C-terminus and its role in resistance to treatment with kinase inhibitors is disclosed. Vectors for expressing the truncated gene product are provided as well as recombinant cells that express the truncated gene product from a cDNA construct. Also provided are methods compositions and kits for detecting the BCR-ABL splice variant. Additionally, methods for screening BCR-ABL kinase domain inhibitors which rely on the recombinant cells and methods of predicting likelihood for resistance of a CML patient with a BCR/ABL translocation respond to treatment with one or more BCR-ABL kinase inhibitors are also disclosed.

The invention relates to a viral expression construct and related viral vector and composition and to their use wherein said construct and vector comprise elements a) and b): a) a nucleotide sequence encoding an insulin operably linked to a first promoter, b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a glucokinase operably linked to a second promoter and said viral expression construct and related viral vector comprise at least one of elements c), d) and e): c) the first and the second promoters are positioned in reverse orientation within the expression construct, d) the first and the second promoters are positioned in reverse orientation within the expression construct and are located adjacent to each other and e) the first promoter is a CMV promoter, preferably a mini CMV promoter.

The invention provides compositions including stabilized multilamellar lipid vesicles having crosslinked lipid bilayers (referred to herein as interbilayer-crosslinked multilamellar vesicles or ICMV) and including an ALK variant, pharmaceutical compositions containing vesicles (e.g., ICMV) including an ALK variant, and methods of treatment using such compositions. The invention provides compositions including stabilized multilamellar lipid vesicles with crosslinked lipid bilayers (e.g., an interbilayer-crosslinked multilamellar vesicle or ICMV) containing an Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) variant as an antigen that is associated with solid tumor cancers.

The invention provides compositions including stabilized multilamellar lipid vesicles having crosslinked lipid bilayers (referred to herein as interbilayer-crosslinked multilamellar vesicles or ICMV) and including an ALK variant, pharmaceutical compositions containing vesicles (e.g., ICMV) including an ALK variant, and methods of treatment using such compositions. The invention provides compositions including stabilized multilamellar lipid vesicles with crosslinked lipid bilayers (e.g., an interbilayer-crosslinked multilamellar vesicle or ICMV) containing an Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) variant as an antigen that is associated with solid tumor cancers.

Provided are polynucleotides and viral vectors, particularly, alphavirus vectors such as Sindbis viral vectors, which encode multiple, e.g., two or more, epitopes of at least one tumor associated antigen in which each epitope is separated by a processing or enzyme cleavage site. The multiple epitopes of the two or more tumor associated antigens encoded by the described polynucleotides and viral vectors may be the same or different. Methods of treating mammalian subjects having a cancer or tumor expressing the tumor associated antigen epitopes are provided, in which the viral vectors encoding the multiple epitopes, as well as other immunostimulatory or immunomodulatory components, generate an anti-cancer or anti-tumor immune response in which high levels of effector T cells increase the survivability of tumored mammalian subjects and result in epitope spreading, thus providing a further enhancement of the immune response.