Provided herein are genetic circuits and cell state classifiers for detecting the microRNA profile of a cell. The cell state classifiers of the present disclosure utilize phosphorylation state of a transcription factor to control classifier output. Kinases and phosphatase pairs that function in phosphorylating or dephosphorylating the transcription factor are integrated into the circuit, their expression tuned by the presence of microRNAs of interest (e.g., in a cell). The genetic circuits and cell state classifiers may be used in various applications (e.g., therapeutic or diagnostic applications).

The present invention provides cell which co-expresses a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and a dominant negative C-terminal Src kinase (dnCSK). The present invention also provides nucleic acid constructs, vectors and methods for making such a cell and the use of such a cell in the treatment of diseases such as cancer by adoptive immunotherapy.

The present invention provides cell which co-expresses a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and a dominant negative C-terminal Src kinase (dnCSK). The present invention also provides nucleic acid constructs, vectors and methods for making such a cell and the use of such a cell in the treatment of diseases such as cancer by adoptive immunotherapy.

The present disclosure provides adenine base editors (ABEs) that are variants of known adenine base editors. The adenosine deaminase domain of a known ABE was modified to produce adenosine deaminase variants. The deaminase variants provided herein have broader compatibility with diverse napDNAbp domains, such as Cas homologs, for base editing applications. The ABEs provided herein comprise a deaminase variant and a napDNAbp domain. The ABEs provided herein exhibit reduced off-target editing effects while retaining high on-target editing efficiencies. These ABEs exhibit reduced off-target DNA editing effects and reduced off-target editing effects in cellular mRNA. In addition, methods for targeted nucleic acid editing are provided. Further provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the ABEs. Also provided are vectors and kits useful for the generation and delivery of the ABEs, including vector systems for engineering the ABEs through directed evolution. Cells containing such vectors and ABEs are also provided. Further provided are methods of treatment comprising administering the ABEs.

The invention relates to the field of nucleic acid synthesis or sequencing, more specifically to methods for ab-initio synthesis of nucleic acids, comprising contacting a nucleotide with a free 3′-hydroxyl group, with at least one nucleoside triphosphate, or a combination of nucleoside triphosphates, in the presence of an archaeal DNA primase or a functionally active fragment and/or variant thereof, thereby covalently binding said nucleoside triphosphate to the free 3′-hydroxyl group of the nucleotide. It also relates to isolated functionally active fragments of archaeal DNA primases which are capable of both ab-initio single-stranded nucleic acid synthesis activity and template-independent terminal nucleotidyl transferase activity.

The invention relates to methods for template-independent synthesis of nucleic acids, comprising iteratively contacting an initiator sequence comprising a 3′-end nucleotide with a free 3′-hydroxyl group, with at least one nucleoside triphosphate, or a combination of nucleoside triphosphates, in the presence of an archaeal DNA primase or a functionally active fragment and/or variant thereof, thereby covalently binding said nucleoside triphosphate to the free 3-hydroxyl group of the 3-end nucleotide. It also relates to isolated functionally active fragments of archaeal DNA primases which are capable of template-independent terminal nucleotidyl transferase activity but are devoid of a template-independent primase activity.

Methods, kits and compositions, in some embodiments, may include a thermostable DNA guided Argonaute protein for example TtAgo, a thermostable single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) for example, extreme thermostable single-stranded DNA binding protein (ET SSB), and, optionally, a strand-displacing polymerase. A SSB may allow (a) Argonaute/guide DNA complexes to substantially enhance cleavage efficiency of single- and double-stranded DNA substrates; (b) the use of longer guide DNAs (e.g., guide DNAs that are at least 24 nucleotides in length) and/or (c) increases in the sequence specificity of Argonaute-mediated binding and cleavage reactions.

Provided herein are compositions and methods to make and use engineered cells, for the purpose of increasing the cell density of a culture comprising metazoan cells and for the production of a cultured edible product.

This disclosure provides an E. coli strain, which lacks thioredoxin reductase activity encoded by trxB and thioredoxin 1 activity encoded by trxA, and glutathione reductase activity encoded by gor. Said E. coli strain expresses a mutated AhpC protein having glutathione reductase activity and a cytosolic prokaryotic disulfide isomerase. The E. coli strain has an oxidative cytosol and can be used to efficiently produce proteins having disulfide bonds.

The present disclosure relates generally to stapled peptides, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof, which are useful for preventing and/or treating herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) processive DNA synthesis, propagation, and/or infection in a subject. The present disclosure further provides methods for treating herpes simplex keratitis in a subject