The invention provides improved methods for synthesizing polynucleotides, such as DNA and RNA, using renewable initiators coupled to a solid support. Using the methods of the invention, specific sequences of polynucleotides can be synthesized de novo, base by base, in an aqueous environment, without the use of a nucleic acid template.

Enzymatic polynucleotide synthesis with a template-independent polymerase is used to create multiple polynucleotides having different, arbitrary sequences on the surface of an array. The array provides a spatially-addressable substrate for solid-phase synthesis. Blocking groups are attached to the 3′ ends of polynucleotides on the array. Prior to polynucleotide extension, the blocking groups are removed at a selected location on the array. In an implementation, the blocking groups are acyl groups removed with a negative voltage created at an electrode. The array is then incubated with the polymerase and a single species of nucleotide. Nucleotides are incorporated onto the 3′ ends of the polynucleotides without blocking groups. Washing removes the polymerase and free nucleotides. To create polynucleotides with different sequences at different locations on the array, the location where the blocking groups are removed and the species of nucleotide may be changed during repeated cycles of synthesis.

Disclosed herein are methods and compositions comprising a polymerase and a phosphorylated nucleoside, wherein the polymerase and the nucleoside are covalently linked by a cleavable linker at the terminal phosphate group. Further disclosed herein are enzymatic polynucleotide synthesis using polymerase and nucleotide conjugation strategies.

The invention relates to engineered terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) enzymes or the homologous amino acid sequence of Polμ, Polβ, Polλ, and Polθ of any species or the homologous amino acid sequence of X family polymerases of any species and uses thereof.

The invention relates to engineered terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) enzymes or the homologous amino acid sequence of Polμ, Polβ, Polλ, and Polθ of any species or the homologous amino acid sequence of X family polymerases of any species and their use in a method of nucleic acid synthesis, to methods of synthesizing nucleic acids, and to the use of kits comprising said enzymes in a method of nucleic acid synthesis. The invention also relates to the use of new terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferases and 3′-blocked nucleoside triphosphates in a method of template independent nucleic acid synthesis.

Disclosed herein include methods and compositions for nucleic acid synthesis using a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase with deoxyribonucleotide trisphosphates each comprising a modified base with a photocleavable carbon chain moiety that enables single incorporations when present.

The present invention relates to peptides, proteins, nucleic acids and cells for use in immunotherapeutic methods. In particular, the present invention relates to the immunotherapy of cancer. The present invention furthermore relates to tumor-associated T-cell peptide epitopes, alone or in combination with other tumor-associated peptides that can for example serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients of vaccine compositions that stimulate anti-tumor immune responses, or to stimulate T cells ex vivo and transfer into patients. Peptides bound to molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), or peptides as such, can also be targets of antibodies, soluble T-cell receptors, and other binding molecules.

Disclosed herein include methods of generating a single stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (ssDNA) scaffold comprising nucleotides with modified bases using a recombinant terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT). The recombinant TdT can comprise an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% identical to a Bos taurus TdT, or a fragment thereof, and for example comprise one or more amino acid substitution mutations at one or more positions functionally equivalent to Glu191, Lys193, Glu194, Asp242, Lys287, Phe296, Met299, Thr342, and His420 in the Bos taurus TdT.

Disclosed herein include recombinant terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferases (TdTs). In some embodiments, the recombinant TdT comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% identical to a bovine TdT, wherein the recombinant TdT comprises one or more amino acid substitution mutations at one or more positions functionally equivalent to Glu191, Lys193, Glu194, Asp242, Lys287, Phe296, Met299, Thr342, and His421 in the bovine TdT.

The present invention relates to peptides, proteins, nucleic acids and cells for use in immunotherapeutic methods. In particular, the present invention relates to the immunotherapy of cancer. The present invention furthermore relates to tumor-associated T-cell peptide epitopes, alone or in combination with other tumor-associated peptides that can for example serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients of vaccine compositions that stimulate anti-tumor immune responses, or to stimulate T cells ex vivo and transfer into patients. Peptides bound to molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), or peptides as such, can also be targets of antibodies, soluble T-cell receptors, and other binding molecules.