The present disclosure encompasses engineered meganucleases that bind and cleave recognition sequences within a dystrophin gene. The present disclosure also encompasses methods of using such engineered meganucleases to make genetically modified cells. Further, the disclosure encompasses pharmaceutical compositions comprising engineered meganuclease proteins, or polynucleotides encoding engineered meganucleases of the disclosure, and the use of such compositions for the modification of a dystrophin gene in a subject, or for treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Recombinant AAV (rAAV) vectors comprising a rAVV genome comprising a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a lysosomal protein, e.g., acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) polypeptide, and optionally a signal peptide and/or optionally a targeting sequence, e.g., IGF2 targeting peptide, operatively linked to a liver-specific promoter (LSP), enabling the GAA polypeptide to be secreted from the liver and targeted to the lysosomes. Particular embodiments relate to a recombinant AAV (rAAV) vector encoding an alpha-glucosidase (GAA) polypeptide, having a liver secretory signal peptide and a IGF2 targeting peptide that binds human cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (CI-MPR) or to the IGF2 receptor, permitting proper subcellular localization of the GAA polypeptide to lysosomes. Also encompassed are cells, and methods to treat a lysosomal disease, for example, a glycogen storage disease type II (GSD II) disease and/or Pompe Disease with the rAAV vector.

The subject matter described herein relates to compositions and methods for cellular rejuvenation, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine by transient exposure of cells or tissues to synthetic, non-integrative mRNAs encoding reprogramming factors. Reprogramming factor encoding polynucleotides and corresponding polypeptides that trigger less immune response, are more stable, and/or exhibit altered activity than wild-type reprogramming factors are provided. RNA vectors expressing one or more of the improved reprogramming factor polynucleotide sequences are also provided.

Provided are compositions and methods for inducing expression of human beta-globin in erythrocytes for use in prophylaxis and/or therapy of a hemoglobinopathy in an individual. The method generally entails introducing into CD34+ cells a polynucleotide encoding: i) a 5′ long terminal repeat (LTR) and a self-inactivating 3′ LTR; ii) at least one polyadenylation signal; iii) at least one promoter; iv) a globin gene locus control region (LCR); v) an ankyrin insulator element (Ank); vi) a Woodchuck Post-Regulatory Element (WPRE) configured such that the WPRE does not integrate into a target genome; and vii) a sequence that is a reverse complement of a sequence encoding human beta-globin, and can include beta-globin that has a PT87Q mutation. Intron 2 of the beta globin gene can be a complete intron. Modified erythrocyte progenitor cells, recombinant vectors and virions comprising recombinant polynucleotides, and methods of making the vectors and virions are included.

The present invention relates to a covalently closed circular recombinant DNA molecule comprising an origin of replication and an insert comprising a homopolymeric region, wherein the homopolymeric region is located at a distance of least 500 bp from the origin of replication in the direction of replication and/or wherein the insert comprising a homopolymeric region is oriented so that the direction of transcription of the insert is the same as the direction of replication of the origin of replication. The invention further relates to the use of the covalently closed circular recombinant DNA molecule for increasing the yield and/or shortening the fermentation time during fermentation.

Methods are provided for treating osteoarthritis by administering αKlotho protein and sTGFβ-R2 protein to a site within a mammal exhibiting symptoms of osteoarthritis, such as a knee joint. The αKlotho protein and the sTGFβ-R2 protein are both present at the osteoarthritic site.

The present disclosure relates to methods and compositions for elevating and stabilizing retromer for treating and/or preventing Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Additionally, the disclosure relates to adenoviral based therapy for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD), and other neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL), and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs or prion disease), multiple system atrophy (MSA), Down's syndrome, and hereditary spastic paraplegia, as well as tauopathies such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), frontotemporal lobar dementia linked to chromosome 17q21-22 and its subtypes (FTLD-17/FTLD-Tau), Lewy Body Disease (LBD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontal-temporal degeneration (FTD), ALS-FTD, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

The invention provides polynucleotide constructs for the regulation of gene expression by aptamer-based modulation of self-cleaving ribozymes and methods of using the constructs to regulate gene expression in response to the presence or absence of a ligand that binds the aptamer. The invention further provides methods for making and using riboswitches that decrease target gene expression in response to an aptamer ligand as well as riboswitches that increase target gene expression in response to an aptamer ligand.

Recombinant adenovirus genomes that include a synthetic transcriptional circuit are described. Synthetic adenoviruses positively regulated using two-step transcriptional amplification (TSTA) are further described. Selection of the heterologous promoter is based on the desired replication characteristics of the synthetic virus. For example, the heterologous promoter can be a constitutive promoter, a tumor-specific promoter or a tissue-specific promoter.

The invention relates to an artificial nucleic acid molecule comprising at least one open reading frame and at least one 3′-untranslated region element (3′-UTR element) comprising a nucleic acid sequence which is derived from the 3′-UTR of a FIG4 gene or from a variant of the 3′-UTR of a FIG4 gene. The invention further relates to the use of such an artificial nucleic acid molecule in gene therapy and/or genetic vaccination. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of a 3′-UTR element comprising a nucleic acid sequence which is derived from the 3′-UTR of a FIG4 gene or from a variant of the 3′-UTR of a FIG4 gene for the stabilization and/or prolongation of protein expression from a nucleic acid sequence comprising such 3′-UTR element.