95 results about "Trans-splicing" patented technology

The molecules and methods of the present invention provide a means for in vivo production of a trans-spliced molecule in a selected subset of cells. The pre-trans-splicing molecules of the invention are substrates for a trans-splicing reaction between the pre-trans-splicing molecules and a pre-mRNA which is uniquely expressed in the specific target cells. The in vivo trans-splicing reaction provides a novel mRNA which is functional as mRNA or encodes a protein to be expressed in the target cells. The expression product of the mRNA is a protein of therapeutic value to the cell or host organism a toxin which causes killing of the specific cells or a novel protein not normally present in such cells. The invention further provides PTMs that have been genetically engineered for the identification of exon / intron boundaries of pre-mRNA molecules using an exon tagging method. The PTMs of the invention can also be designed to result in the production of chimeric RNA encoding for peptide affinity purification tags which can be used to purify and identify proteins expressed in a specific cell type.

The present invention describes the use of pre-trans-splicing molecules (PTMs) to reprogram human normal and diseased somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells using spliceosome-mediated RNA trans-splicing. More specifically, the present invention describes the use of the SMaRT™ technology to repair or reprogram the newly induced diseased pluripotent stem cells.

The present invention provides a method of identifying mRNA transcripts in the transcriptome of a cell comprising i) delivering into the cell a donor expression vector comprising nucleotides in a sequence encoding a trans-splicing barcode cassette, wherein the trans-splicing barcode cassette comprises a) a first portion, the nucleotide sequence of which encodes an intron comprising as part of its 3′ end, or followed at its 3′ end by a splice-site nucleotide sequence; followed at its 3′ end by, b) a second portion, the nucleotide sequence of which encodes a barcode polynucleotide; followed at its 3′ end by c) a third portion, which encodes a nucleotide identification element sequence, ii) exposing the cell to conditions such that the cell produces multiple copies of the trans-splicing barcode cassette encoded by the donor expression vector, which multiple copies of the trans-splicing barcode cassette each splice the barcode polynucleotide onto a mRNA transcript of the cell, thereby forming multiple mRNA transcripts of the cell, each spliced to the barcode polynucleotide; and iii) identifying the multiple mRNA transcripts that are spliced to the barcode polynucleotides, thereby identifying mRNA transcripts in the transcriptome of the cell.

The present invention provides methods and compositions for rapid high capacity functional screening to identify optimal pre-trans-splicing molecules (PTMs). The compositions of the invention include PTM expression libraries capable of encoding candidate PTMs designed to interact with a target precursor messenger RNA molecule (target pre-mRNA) and mediate a trans-splicing reaction resulting in the generation of a novel chimeric RNA molecule (chimeric RNA). The candidate PTMs of the invention encode a portion of a first reporter molecule and may encode one or more other reporter molecules, which can be used to select for cells expressing optimal PTMs (efficient and specific). The compositions of the invention also include cells that express a target pre-mRNA encoding the remaining portion of the first reporter molecule. The screening methods of the invention encompass (i) contacting a PTM expression library with cells expressing a target pre-mRNA under conditions in which a trans-splicing reaction will occur in the presence of an optimal PTM (expressed by the library vector) resulting in the formation of a chimeric repaired RNA molecule capable of encoding at least one reporter molecule; (ii) selecting for cells expressing the repaired reporter molecule wherein expression of the reporter molecule indicates the presence of an optimal PTM in the selected cell; and (iii) identifying the optimal PTM expressed in the selected cell(s). The additional reporter molecule(s) can be used to assess both specific and non-specific trans-splicing, as well direct PTM expression.

The present invention provides methods and compositions for conferring tumor selective cell death on cancer cells expressing specific target precursor messenger RNA molecules (cancer cell selective target pre-mRNAs). The compositions of the invention include conditionally replicative adenoviruses that have been genetically engineered to express one or more pre-trans-splicing molecules (PTMs) designed to interact with one or more cancer cell target pre-mRNA and mediate a trans-splicing reaction resulting in the generation of novel chimeric RNA molecules (chimeric RNA) capable of encoding adenovirus specific protein(s). Adenovirus specific proteins include those proteins complementing an essential activity necessary for replication of a defective adenovirus. The methods and compositions of the invention may be used to target a lytic adenovirus infection to cancer cells thereby providing a method for selective destruction of cancer cells. In addition, the adenoviruses of the invention may be engineered to encode PTMs designed to interact with target pre-mRNAs encoded by infectious agents within a cell, thereby targeting selective destruction of cells infected with such agents.

Methods of producing cyclic peptides and splicing intermediates of peptides in a looped conformation are disclosed. The methods utilize the trans-splicing ability of split inteins to catalyze cyclization of peptides from a precursor peptide having a target peptide interposed between two portions of a split intein. The interaction of the two portions of the split intein creates a catalytically-active intein and also forces the target peptide into a loop configuration that stabilizes the ester isomer of the amino acid at the junction between one of the intein portions and the target peptide. A heteroatom from the other intein portion then reacts with the ester to form a cyclic ester intermediate. The active intein catalyzes the formation of an aminosuccinimide that liberates a cyclized form of the target peptide, which spontaneously rearranges to form the thermodynamically favored backbone cyclic peptide product. Also disclosed are nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides, methods for making cyclic peptides, methods of making libraries, and methods of screening peptides.

A method is disclosed for forming multimeric proteins. The method relies on intermolecular trans-splicing of a split intein either in vivo or in vitro.

The invention provides preparation of recombinant polypeptide by an intein with a trans-splicing function, wherein the N-end splicing structure domain and the C-end splicing structure domain of the intein with the trans-splicing function can be specifically bound together. One splicing structure domain (the N- or C-end splicing structure domain) of the intein is taken as carrier protein to carry out fusion expression with target polypeptide; the other splicing structure domain (the C- or N-end splicing structure domain) is cross-linked with a supporting medium to prepare an affinity column for adsorbing and purifying the obtained fusion protein containing the target polypeptide; impurities in a fusion protein sample are removed by increasing the salinity of washing liquid in the affinity chromatographic column; and trans-splicing of the intein is induced by changing the pH and the temperature of the chromatographic column or adding a chemical reagent containing a sulfydryl group so as to release the target polypeptide from the fusion protein and purify the target polypeptide at the same time.

The present invention relates to specific and markedly improved pre-mRNA trans-splicing molecule (RTM) molecules which are designed to correct specific genes expressed within cells to be targeted, and which are associated with epidermolysis bullosa, cystic fibrosis, pachyonychia congenital, and psoriasis or neurodermitis, as well as cancers of the skin. In particular, the RTMs of the present invention are genetically engineered to interact with a specific target pre-mRNA expressed in cells to be targeted so as to result in correction of genetic defects or reprogramming of gene expression responsible for a variety of different skin disorders.

The present invention provides methods and compositions for conferring selective death on cells expressing a specific target precursor messenger RNA (selective target pre-mRNA). The compositions of the invention include pre-trans-splicing molecules (PTMs) designed to interact with a target precursor messenger RNA molecule (target pre-mRNA) expressed within a cell and mediate a trans-splicing reaction resulting in the generation of a novel chimeric mRNA molecule (chimeric mRNA) capable of encoding a light producing protein or enzyme. Cell death is further mediated by the presence of a photosensitizer which upon photoactivation produces cytotoxicity.

Methods of producing cyclic peptides and splicing intermediates of peptides in a looped conformation are disclosed. The methods utilize the trans-splicing ability of split inteins to catalyze cyclization of peptides from a precursor peptide having a target peptide interposed between two portions of a split intein. The interaction of the two portions of the split intein creates a catalytically-active intein and also forces the target peptide into a loop configuration that stabilizes the ester isomer of the amino acid at the junction between one of the intein portions and the target peptide. A heteroatom from the other intein portion then reacts with the ester to form a cyclic ester intermediate. The active intein catalyzes the formation of an aminosuccinimide that liberates a cyclized form of the target peptide, which spontaneously rearranges to form the thermodynamically favored backbone cyclic peptide product. Also disclosed are nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides, methods for making cyclic peptides, methods of making libraries, and methods of screening peptides.