74 results about "Leucine zipper" patented technology

An Engineered Transgene Integration Platform (ETIP) is described that can be inserted randomly or at targeted locations in plant genomes to facilitate rapid selection and detection of a GOI that is perfectly targeted (both the 5′ and 3′ ends) at the ETIP genomic location. One element in the subject disclosure is the introduction of specific double stranded breaks within the ETIP. In some embodiments, an ETIP is described using zinc finger nuclease binding sites, but may utilize other targeting technologies such as meganucleases, CRISPRs, TALs, or leucine zippers. Also described are compositions of, and methods for producing, transgenic plants wherein the donor or payload DNA expresses one or more products of an exogenous nucleic acid sequence (e.g. protein or RNA) that has been stably-integrated into an ETIP in a plant cell. In embodiments, the ETIP facilitates testing of gene candidates and plant expression vectors from ideation through Development phases.

The present invention describes a rapid and efficient in vivo library-versus-library screening strategy for identifying optimally interacting pairs of heterodimerizing polypeptides. It allows for the screening of a protein library against a second protein library, rather than against a single bait protein, and thus has numerous applications in the study of protein-protein interactions. Additionally, it allows for the application of different selection stringencies. Two leucine zipper libraries, semi-randomized at the positions adjacent to the hydrophobic core, were genetically fused to either one of two designed fragments of the enzyme murine dihydrofolate reductase (mDHFR), and cotransformed into E. coli. Interaction between the library polypeptides was required for reconstitution of the enzymatic activity of mDHFR, allowing bacterial growth. Analysis of the resulting colonies revealed important biases in the zipper sequences relative to the original libraries, which are consistent with selection for stable, heterodimerizing pairs. Using more weakly associating mDHFR fragments, we increased the stringency of selection. We enriched the best performing leucine zipper pairs by multiple passaging of the pooled, selected colonies in liquid culture, as the best pairs allowed for better bacterial propagation. This competitive growth allowed small differences among the pairs to be amplified, and different sequence positions were enriched at different rates. We applied these selection processes to a library-versus-library sample of 2.0×106 combinations, and selected a novel leucine zipper pair which may be appropriate for use in further in vivo heterodimerization strategies.

The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for improving plant growth characteristics relative to corresponding wild type plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for improving plant growth characteristics comprising modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a class I homeodomain leucine zipper (HDZip) hox5 polypeptide or a homologue thereof; or comprising modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a nitrate transporter protein (NRT) or a homologue thereof; or comprising modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide denoted Yield Enhancing Protein 16 (YEP16); or comprising modulating expression in a plant of a Group I glycogen synthase kinase (Group I shaggy-like kinase) or a homologue thereof. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a class I HDZip hox5 polypeptide or a homologue thereof; or having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a NRT protein or a homologue thereof; or having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide denoted YEP16; or having modulated expression of a Group I shaggy-like kinase or a homologue thereof, which plants have improved growth characteristics relative to corresponding wild type plants. The invention also provides constructs useful in the methods of the invention.

A dimeric protein comprising a first fusion protein and a second fusion protein, wherein the first fusion protein comprises a targeting domain, a leucine zipper domain, and an antigen; and wherein the second fusion protein comprises a targeting domain, a leucine zipper domain, and optionally an antigen. Nucleic acid vectors encoding proteins of the invention are provided, particularly for use in nucleic acid vaccination.

The present invention provides minimalist bZIP proteins having a basic region derived from bHLH proteins fused to a leucine zipper dimerization domain derived from bZIP proteins and methods and uses thereof in the treatment of cancer. The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions for treating cancer.

The present invention provides a method for producing modified stable polypeptides introducing at least one non-natural amino acid into the hydrophobic region of the polypeptide. The thermal and chemical stability of such polypeptides is improved compared to those properties of its corresponding wild type proteins.The invention further provides purified leucine zipper and coiled-coil proteins in which the leucine residues have been replaced with 5,5,5-trifluoroleucines, and the modified proteins so produced demonstrate increased thermal and chemical stability compared to their corresponding wild-type natural proteins.

A new transcription factor coding gene induced by water deficit or abscisic acid of Helianthus annuus, having a homeodomain associated to a leucine zipper, was characterized. The transcription factor is useful to be cloned in DNA constructions for transforming host cells and plants. The transgenic plants comprising the transcription factor gene are tolerant and resistant to harmful environmental conditions such as water stress and high salinity. A nucleic acid promoting sequence is also provided wherein the sequence is induced by water deficit or abscisic acid. Constructions, host cells and transgenic plants that comprise the transcription factor gene are provided.

The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for improving various plant growth characteristics by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a GRP (Growth-Related Protein). The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a GRP, which plants have improved growth characteristics relative to corresponding wild type plants or other control plants. The invention also provides constructs useful in the methods of the invention. The GRP may be one of the following: Extensin Receptor-Like Kinase (ERLK), F-Box WD40 (FBXW) polypeptide, RAN-Binding Protein (RANBP), Golden2-like Transcription Factor (GLK), REV delta homeodomain leucine zipper domain polypeptide, CLE protein, and Seed Yield Regulator (SYR) protein.

The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for improving various plant growth characteristics by modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a GRP (Growth-Related Protein). The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a GRP, which plants have improved growth characteristics relative to corresponding wild type plants or other control plants. The invention also provides constructs useful in the methods of the invention. The GRP may be one of the following: Extensin Receptor-Like Kinase (ERLK), F- Box WD40 (FBXW) polypeptide, RAN-Binding Protein (RANBP), Golden2-like Transcription Factor (GLK), REV delta homeodomain leucine zipper domain polypepetide, CLE protein, and Seed Yield Regulator (SYR) protein.

The present invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods for the study, diagnosis, and treatment of traits, diseases and conditions that respond to the modulation of Bach1 gene expression and / or activity, and / or modulate a Bach1 gene expression pathway. Specifically, the invention relates to double-stranded nucleic acid molecules including small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules that are capable of mediating or that mediate RNA interference (RNAi) against Bach1 gene expression.

The invention discloses a novel coronavirus S protein receptor binding domain fusion protein containing an oligomerization structural domain and application of the novel coronavirus S protein receptor binding domain fusion protein, and particularly discloses a novel coronavirus S protein RBD fusion protein which is composed of at least one copy of RBD polypeptide derived from a novel coronavirus S protein, the oligomerization structural domain and / or an endogenous adjuvant, the endogenous adjuvant is an RS09 adjuvant, and the oligomerization structural domain is selected from a bacteriophage trimerization structural domain (Foldon domain), a GCN4 leucine zipper sequence or a human collagen trimerization structural domain. The novel coronavirus RBD fusion protein can be used for preparing vaccines for preventing novel coronavirus infection and infection-induced diseases.

The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for improving plant growth characteristics relative to corresponding wild type plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for improving plant growth characteristics comprising modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a class I homeodomain leucine zipper (HDZip) hox5 polypeptide or a homologue thereof; or comprising modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a nitrate transporter protein (NRT) or a homologue thereof; or comprising modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide denoted Yield Enhancing Protein 16 (YEP16); or comprising modulating expression in a plant of a Group I glycogen synthase kinase (Group I shaggy-like kinase) or a homologue thereof. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a class I HDZip hox5 polypeptide or a homologue thereof; or having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a NRT protein or a homologue thereof; or having modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide denoted YEP16; or having modulated expression of a Group I shaggy-like kinase or a homologue thereof, which plants have improved growth characteristics relative to corresponding wild type plants. The invention also provides constructs useful in the methods of the invention.

Marek's disease virus (MDV), the etiologic agent of Marek's disease, is a potent oncogenic herpesvirus. MDV is highly contagious and elicits a rapid onset of malignant T-cell lymphomas in chickens within weeks after infection. MDV codes for an oncoprotein, Meq, that shares resemblance with the Jun / Fos family of b-ZIP transcription factors. Earlier studies showed that Meq is responsible for development for T-cell lymphomas in chicken. In order to identify specific regions within the Meq gene, a series of recombinant MDV were generated in which a mutated gene was introduced in place of parental Meq gene. Various mutations were introduced at the phosphorylation sites, basic region, leucine zipper region and transactivation regions of the Meq gene. Several of these mutations have been shown to have an attenuated phenotype in chickens. In one embodiment, the present invention contemplates exploiting these mutations to develop MDV vaccines that are able to protect against challenge with highly virulent MDV strains.

A prokaryotic recombinant host cell comprising a heterologous replication initiation protein that activates a conditional origin of replication and an extrachromosomal DNA molecule comprising a heterologous therapeutic gene and a conditional origin of replication whose functionality in the prokaryotic recombinant host cell requires a replication initiating protein which is foreign to the host cell is described. The host cell may comprise a pir gene having at least one mutation, which may occur in the pir gene copy number control region, the pir gene leucine zipper-like motif, or the pir gene DNA binding region.

The present invention describes a rapid and efficient in vivo library-versus-library screening strategy for identifying optimally interacting pairs of heterodimerizing polypeptides. It allows for the screening of a protein library against a second protein library, rather than against a single bait protein, and thus has numerous applications in the study of protein-protein interactions. Additionally, it allows for the application of different selection stringencies. Two leucine zipper libraries, semi-randomized at the positions adjacent to the hydrophobic core, were genetically fused to either one of two designed fragments of the enzyme murine dihydrofolate reductase (mDHFR), and cotransformed into E. coli. Interaction between the library polypeptides was required for reconstitution of the enzymatic activity of mDHFR, allowing bacterial growth. Analysis of the resulting colonies revealed important biases in the zipper sequences relative to the original libraries, which are consistent with selection for stable, heterodimerizing pairs. Using more weakly associating mDHFR fragments, we increased the stringency of selection. We enriched the best performing leucine zipper pairs by multiple passaging of the pooled, selected colonies in liquid culture, as the best pairs allowed for better bacterial propagation. This competitive growth allowed small differences among the pairs to be amplified, and different sequence positions were enriched at different rates. We applied these selection processes to a library-versus-library sample of 2.0×106 combinations, and selected a novel leucine zipper pair which may be appropriate for use in further in vivo heterodimerization strategies.

The invention provides a method of specifically targeting noncanonical gene regulatory sequences using a minimalist basic region-leucine zipper bZIP derivative. Also provided are methods of modulating transcription and treating diseases and cancers using the minimalist basic region-leucine zipper bZIP derivatives.

This invention relates to the biotechnology area, and provides a kind of TRAIL chimeric protein, DNA sequence encoding this chimeric protein, vectors comprising this DNA, host cells or transgenic animals that contain one of the vectors, and preparation methods for the said chimeric protein and its applications. The said TRAIL fusion protein from the N to C terminal comprises human leucine zipper sequence, human TRAIL protein, human TRAIL extracellular domain or a fragment thereof. The chimeric protein has significantly enhanced stability, prolonged half-life in animals, increased efficacy and thus has broad application future.