The invention relates to a matrix-mediated algal cell culture system comprising a porous matrix, a microalgal cell culture comprising cells immobilised on the porous matrix, and a vector including a nucleic acid sequence encoding a heterologous polypeptide of interest, wherein immobilisation of microalgal cells on the porous matrix results in the formation of interstitial spaces between the microalgal cells to allow for increased contact of the microalgal cells with the vector compared with a culture of microalgal cells which are not immobilised on a porous matrix, thereby allowing for more efficient transfection of the microalgal cells with the vector. The invention also relates to methods of screening single species of microalgae and mixed ecology samples for the ability to be transfected using the algal cell culture system, and to methods for the production of heterologous polypeptides using the matrix-mediated cell culture system.

The invention relates to vectors comprising two or more homologous nucleotide sequences and methods for generating them. The invention concerns substituting bases in the homologous nucleotide sequences with different bases that do not alter the encoded amino acid sequence. The invention allows for the reduction of intramolecular recombination between homologous nucleotide sequences, in particular in mammalian cells. The invention further relates to nucleotide sequences containing substituted bases.

Disclosed is a viral vector comprising (a) a cDNA of a recombinant viral RNA having a sequence of a Borna disease viral genome comprising a disrupted G gene of the Borna disease viral genome and an inserted G gene of an avian bornaviral genome, wherein the cDNA of the recombinant viral RNA has at least an N gene, an X gene, a P gene and an L gene of the Borna disease viral genome in the same order as in the Borna disease viral genome and has an inserted foreign gene; (b) DNAs encoding ribozymes; and (c) a promoter sequence, wherein (b) the DNAs encoding ribozymes are located upstream and downstream of (a) the cDNA of the recombinant viral RNA, and (a) the cDNA of the recombinant viral RNA and (b) the DNAs encoding ribozymes are located downstream of (c) the promoter sequence. The present invention can be used as a gene introduction technique that does not affect a host chromosome and can be suitable for the application in various fields, such as the treatment and prevention of brain and neurological diseases, visualization techniques of nerve cells in the field of neuroscience, etc.

The present invention relates to a novel polypeptide having affinity for proteins partially including a CH1-CL domain forming a non-native three-dimensional structure and capable of being suitably used for detecting, immobilizing, or removing these proteins and relates to use of the polypeptide. Specifically, disclosed are a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence represented by any one of the following formulas 1 to 3: (1) P-Q-x-I-x-L-x-[IL]-[NT]-[YW] (SEQ ID NO: 1), (2) Y-D-P-E-T-G-T-W-P-Q-x-I-x-L-x-[IL]-[NT]-[YW] (SEQ ID NO: 4), and (3) P-N-S-G-G-G-G-S-Y-D-P-E-T-G-T-W-P-Q-x-I-x-L-x-[IL]-[NT]-[YW] (SEQ ID NO: 7) (wherein x represents an amino acid residue; and brackets represent any one of the amino acid residues within the brackets), and a method of using the polypeptide to detect, purify, or remove a protein partially including a CH1-CL domain forming a non-native three-dimensional structure.

Disclosed is a viral vector comprising (a) a cDNA of a recombinant viral RNA having a sequence of a Borna disease viral genome comprising a disrupted G gene of the Borna disease viral genome and an inserted G gene of an avian bornaviral genome, wherein the cDNA of the recombinant viral RNA has at least an N gene, an X gene, a P gene and an L gene of the Borna disease viral genome in the same order as in the Borna disease viral genome and has an inserted foreign gene; (b) DNAs encoding ribozymes; and (c) a promoter sequence, wherein (b) the DNAs encoding ribozymes are located upstream and downstream of (a) the cDNA of the recombinant viral RNA, and (a) the cDNA of the recombinant viral RNA and (b) the DNAs encoding ribozymes are located downstream of (c) the promoter sequence. The present invention can be used as a gene introduction technique that does not affect a host chromosome and can be suitable for the application in various fields, such as the treatment and prevention of brain and neurological diseases, visualization techniques of nerve cells in the field of neuroscience, etc.

The invention relates to a viral expression construct and related viral vector and nucleic acid molecule and composition and to their use wherein said construct and vector are suitable for expression in a mammal and comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) to be expressed in liver, adipose tissue and/or skeletal muscle.

Disclosed are compositions and methods for treating a disease or disorder such as cancer in a subject in need thereof. In some aspects, the method comprises administering to the subject a vector comprising a first nucleic acid sequence encoding a promoter operably linked to each of a second nucleic acid sequence encoding a therapeutic polypeptide, and a third nucleic acid sequence encoding a peptide domain that is stabilized when phosphorylated by kinase activity in a target tissue. The kinase activity can be elevated extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) activity.

The present invention relates to a system for F-box hormone receptor regulated protein expression in mammalian cells. The system includes a silencing nucleic acid molecule comprising a first promoter and an shRNA operably linked to the first promoter, where the shRNA silences expression of a target protein. The system also includes an expression nucleic acid molecule comprising a second promoter, an F-box hormone receptor operably linked to the second promoter, and a nucleic acid molecule encoding a fusion protein comprising a degron fused to the target protein, where the nucleic acid molecule encoding the fusion protein is operably linked to the second promoter. Also disclosed are vectors comprising the system of the present application and methods of use thereof.

The present invention relates to a novel polypeptide having affinity for proteins partially including a CH1-CL domain forming a non-native three-dimensional structure and capable of being suitably used for detecting, immobilizing, or removing these proteins and relates to use of the polypeptide. Specifically, disclosed are a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence represented by any one of the following formulas 1 to 3: (1) P-Q-x-I-x-L-x-[IL]-[NT]-[YW] (SEQ ID NO: 1), (2) Y-D-P-E-T-G-T-W-P-Q-x-I-x-L-x-[IL]-[NT]-[YW] (SEQ ID NO: 4), and (3) PN-S-G-G-G-G-S-Y-D-P-E-T-G-T-W-P-Q-x-I-x-L-x-[IL]-[NT]-[YW] (SEQ ID NO: 7) (wherein x represents an amino acid residue; and brackets represent any one of the amino acid residues within the brackets), and a method of using the polypeptide to detect, purify, or remove a protein partially including a CH1-CL domain forming a non-native three-dimensional structure.

The invention relates to a viral expression construct and related viral vector and nucleic acid molecule and composition and to their use wherein said construct and vector are suitable for expression in a mammal and comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) to be expressed in liver, adipose tissue and/or skeletal muscle.