Sequencing adaptors and methods are provided for preparation of polynucleotides for sequencing. The sequencing adaptors contain a portion of a recognition sequence for a methyl-dependent endonuclease. Unwanted adaptor dimers that form during ligation of adaptors to target polynucleotides produce a complete restriction sequence and are cleaved by the endonuclease, followed by exonuclease digestion, thereby removing the dimers.

Compositions and methods are provided for disrupting biofilms formed by microbial organisms. In accordance with one embodiment such compositions are used in conjunction with standard treatment for use on chronic wounds. In one embodiment the biofilm disrupting composition comprises a nuclease and aurine tricarboxylic acid. The biofilm disrupting compositions disclosed herein can be used in conjunction with a therapeutic pharmaceutical composition comprising standard antibiotics.

Sequencing adaptors and methods are provided for preparation of polynucleotides for sequencing. The sequencing adaptors contain a portion of a recognition sequence for a methyl-dependent endonuclease. Unwanted adaptor dimers that form during ligation of adaptors to target polynucleotides produce a complete restriction sequence and are cleaved by the endonuclease, followed by exonuclease digestion, thereby removing the dimers.

Provided herein, in some embodiments, are methods for treating age-associated conditions, including systemic inflammation and disease, via enhanced DNA degradation.

Provided herein, in some embodiments, are methods for treating age-associated conditions, including systemic inflammation and disease, via enhanced DNA degradation.

Various embodiments are directed to using nuclease expression in tissues that influences cell-free DNA end signatures/motifs and size of overhang between DNA strands. Embodiments can identify a nuclease that is being differentially regulated in abnormal cells relative to normal cells. Embodiments can determine that the nuclease preferentially cuts DNA into DNA molecules having: (i) a particular sequence end signature; or (ii) a specified length of overhang between a first strand and a second strand. A parameter can be determined for a biological sample based on an amount of DNA molecules that include an end sequence corresponding to the particular sequence end signature and/or a measured property correlating to the specified length of overhang. The parameter can be used to determine a characteristic of a tissue type, a fractional concentration of clinically-relevant DNA molecules, or a level of abnormality of a tissue type in the biological sample.

The present invention relates to a non-viral minicircle vector expressing a SOX gene, a stem cell into which the vector is introduced, a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating a cartilage disease, including the stem cell, and a method for constructing the vector. The transformation of mesenchymal stem cells with MC/SOX-Trio or MC/SOX-Duo, which is a non-viral minicircle vector according to the present invention, can completely exclude the necessity of expensive growth factors that have been indispensably used in inducing the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes. Accordingly, the mesenchymal stem cells transformed therewith, when implanted in vivo, can differentiate into chondrocytes by themselves, and thus have an advantage capable of simplifying the existing complicated steps of culturing cells to induce differentiation and then transplanting the cells. Further, unlike existing vector systems in which antibiotic-resistant genes and other bacteria-derived exogenous genes are simultaneously transferred to cells even after transformation, the vector of the present invention minimizes transfer of unnecessary genes into target cells by allowing two or three SOX genes necessary only for differentiation into chondrocytes to be regulated under one promoter, and thus can be utilized as a non-viral vector system in the most advantageous form for use in clinical application of stem cell-gene therapeutic agents.

The present invention relates to polypeptide variants and methods for obtaining variants. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the variants; nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides; and methods of using the variants.

The present invention relates to polypeptide variants and methods for obtaining variants. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the variants; nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides; and methods of using the variants.

The need to control the activity and fidelity of CRISPR-associated nucleases has resulted in the demand for inhibitory anti-CRISPR molecules. Current small-molecule inhibitor discovery platforms are not generalizable to multiple nuclease classes, only target the initial step in the catalytic activity, and require high concentration of nuclease, resulting in inhibitors with suboptimal attributes, including poor potency. Herein, Applicants report a high-throughput discovery pipeline consisting of a FRET-based assay that is generalizable to contemporary and emerging nucleases, operates at low nuclease concentration, and targets all catalytic steps. Applicants applied this pipeline to identify BRD7586, a cell-permeable small-molecule inhibitor of SpCas9, that is 2-fold more potent than current inhibitors. Furthermore, unlike the reported inhibitors, BRD7586 enhanced SpCas9 specificity and its activity was independent of the genomic loci, DNA repair pathway, or mode of nuclease delivery. Overall, these studies describe a general pipeline to identify inhibitors of contemporary and emerging CRISPR-associated nucleases. Described herein are compositions and methods for inhibiting the activity of RNA-guided endonucleases, and methods for identifying such compositions.