Abstract: Provided herein are targeting peptides and vectors containing a sequence that encodes the targeting peptides that deliver agents to specific substructures in the brain.

Abstract: Provided herein are targeting peptides and vectors containing a sequence that encodes the targeting peptides that deliver agents to specific substructures in the brain. Provided herein are viral vectors each comprising a modified capsid, wherein the modified capsid comprises at least one amino acid sequence that targets the viral vector to a distinct brain structure.

Abstract: Provided herein are chimeric minigenes, where the alternative splicing of the minigene determines whether an encoded gene is expressed. In particular, the minigenes are alternatively spliced in response to splicing modulator dmgs, such that the encoded gene is only expressed in the present of the splicing modulator dmg. The encoded gene may encode an inhibitory RNA, a CRISPR-Cas9 protein, a transactivator, or a therapeutic protein.

Abstract: Provided herein are chimeric transactivator minigenes, where the alternative splicing of the minigene determines whether a transactivator is expressed. Expression of the transactivator results in the transcription of a target gene that is under the control of a designer promoter sequence. Alternatively, provided herein are chimeric target gene minigenes, wherein the alternative splicing of the minigene directly determines whether the target gene is expressed. The target gene may encode an inhibitory RNA, a CRISPR-Cas9 protein, or a therapeutic protein.

Abstract: In certain embodiments the present invention provides a method of treating hearing loss comprising: (a) administering a gene suppression agent that suppresses both copies of an endogenous gene causing the hearing loss; and (b) administering an exogenous wild-type allele engineered to resist suppression by the gene suppression agent. The present invention provides in certain embodiments a method of treating a genetic hearing loss (GHL) in a patient in need thereof comprising: (a) identifying a mutation in a GHL-causing gene, wherein the mutation causes GHL in the patient; and (b) administering to the patient a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutic miRNA and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the GHL therapeutic miRNA is of 18 to 25 nucleotides in length and knocks-down the GHL-causing gene function at a higher level than it knocks-down gene function in a corresponding wild-type gene.