The present invention provides a fusion polypeptide that induces a humoral immune response and a cellular immune response to a virus, containing antigens or fragments thereof of the following (a) and (b), and having an oligomerization activity: (a) an antigen of the virus or a fragment thereof containing a B cell epitope conserved among subtypes of the virus; and (b) an antigen of the virus or a fragment thereof containing a T cell epitope conserved among subtypes of the virus (wherein the antigen(s) or the fragment(s) thereof of (a) and/or (b) have an oligomerization activity, or the fusion polypeptide further contains (c) a polypeptide having an oligomerization activity in addition to the antigens or the fragments thereof (a) and (b)).

Transcriptional units encoding Zika virus (ZIKV) premembrane (prM) and envelope (E) proteins, which upon translation form Zika virus-like particles (VLPs), are described. Use of the transcriptional units and VLPs in three different ZIKV vaccine platforms is described. Immunoassay-based detection methods using ZIKV VLPs are described for the diagnosis of ZIKV infection.

The present invention relates to a fusion protein for enhancing expression efficiency of a target protein. More specifically, the present invention relates to a glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase from human (hEPRS) WHEP domain (including WHEP domains TRS-1, TRS-2, and TRS-3 which locate at middle sites of the EPRS protein, and linkers connecting the three domains therethrough). When used as a fusion protein for expressing a target protein in E. coli, the hEPRS WHEP domain according to the present invention enhanced water solubility of the target protein.

The invention relates to a unit dose of a dengue vaccine composition and methods and uses for preventing dengue disease and methods for stimulating an immune response to all four dengue virus serotypes in a subject or subject population. The unit dose of a dengue vaccine composition includes constructs of each dengue serotype, such as TDV-1, TDV-2, TDV-3 and TDV-4, at various concentrations in order to improve protection from dengue infection.

Insecticidal toxins described herein are fused toxin peptides made up of a targeting domain fused to a toxin domain. The targeting peptide generates a specific association with mosquitoes by causing the fused toxin peptide to bind mosquitoes in a way that leads to the insecticidal activity. Transgenic plants described herein are mosquitocidal by expressing an insecticidal toxin protein in nectar that includes a targeting peptide to ensure specificity against mosquitoes. These transgenic plants serve as role models for safety, since they are non-crop plants and specific to one mosquito species.

Provided herein are adenoviral vectors comprising nucleotide sequences encoding a Zika virus M and Env antigen, wherein the nucleotide sequence encoding the Zika virus M and Env antigen is operably linked to a cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter comprising at least one tetracycline operator (TetO) motif. Also provided herein are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the adenoviral vectors, methods of producing the adenoviral vectors, methods of preventing Zika virus or the progression of Zika virus in a subject in need thereof, and kits comprising the adenoviral vectors and host cells.

The disclosure provides materials in the form of flavivirus variants that each encode a Non-Structural Protein-1 (NS1) variant, wherein the coding region is a chimera of at least two different NS1 coding regions, or wherein the coding region has at least one mutation in a codon of a canonical Asn-Xxx-Ser/Thr N-linked glycosylation site, wherein Asn is asparagine, Xxx is any amino acid, and Ser/Thr is either serine or threonine, or wherein the coding region is both a chimera and has at least one mutation in a codon of a canonical N-liked glycosylation site, wherein Asn is asparagine, Xxx is any amino acid, and Ser/Thr is either serine or threonine. The disclosure also provides methods of using such flavivirus variants to inhibit the transmission of infectious flavivirus.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to nucleic acid vaccines. The vaccines include one or more RNA polynucleotides having an open reading frame encoding one or more Chikungunya antigen(s), one or more Zika virus antigens, and one or more Dengue antigens. Methods for preparing and using such vaccines are also described.

The present invention provides compositions and methods of use comprising a chimeric dengue virus E glycoprotein comprising a dengue virus E glycoprotein backbone, which comprises amino acid substitutions that may introduce an epitope that is recognized by an antibody from a dengue virus serotype that is different from the dengue virus serotype of the dengue virus E glycoprotein backbone.

The present disclosure is directed to antibodies binding to and neutralizing Zika virus and methods for use thereof.