Abstract: The current disclosure provides methods and compositions useful in preparing transformed and immortalized zebra and quagga mussel cells that function as disseminated neoplastic (DN) cells, as well as the cells produced thereby. In particular, these cells are immortalized through modifying expression of the TERT nucleic acid and/or protein. Also provided are methods for using such mussel DNCs in cell culture, in vitro, and within live mussels in the lab or in the wild, to control mussel populations such as invasive zebra mussel or quagga mussel populations.

Abstract: The current disclosure provides methods and compositions useful in preparing transformed and immortalized zebra and quagga mussel cells that function as disseminated neoplastic (DN) cells, as well as the cells produced thereby. Also provided are methods for using such mussel DNCs in cell culture, in vitro, and within live mussels in the lab or in the wild, to control mussel populations such as invasive zebra mussel or quagga mussel populations.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for altering the fate or differentiation status of somatic cells by RNA transfer. These methods can be used to transdifferentiate or dedifferentiate somatic cells of one phenotype or lineage into pluripotent cells or into somatic cells of a different lineage or phenotype.

Abstract: The invention provides chimeric proteins having at least two functional protein units, each containing the dimerization domain of a member of the steroid/thyroid hormone nuclear receptor superfamily. The chimeric proteins can fold under crystallization conditions to form functional entities. The functional entities optionally contain a novel flexible peptide linker of variable lengths between at least two of the protein units. In a preferred embodiment, the linker is designed to be increased in increments of 12 amino acids each to aid in preparation of variant chimeric proteins. The DNA binding characteristics of the invention functional entities differ from those of wild-type complexes formed between “monomeric” receptors and their binding partners. Some functional entities, e.g. dimers expressed as fusion proteins, transactivate responsive promoters in a manner similar to wild-type complexes, while others do not promote transactivation and function instead essentially as constitutive repressors.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that nuclear receptor proteins isolated from the silk moth bombyx mori (bR) are useful for the regulation of transgene expression. bR is generally thought to be a strong transcriptional regulator within cells of the silk moth. In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that bR is also functional in mammalian cells. It has further been discovered that the addition of activation domains to the bR open-reading frame enhances the activity of the ligand modulated regulator to afford high-level transcriptional induction. Further modifications to the bR ligand binding domain result in receptors with unique transactivational characteristics.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for modulating the expression of a target gene in a subject wherein a defined response element for a DNA binding domain modulates expression of said target gene. The invention system comprises two chimeric proteins, each containing the dimerization domain of a member of the steroid/thyroid hormone nuclear receptor superfamily, one of which is non-endogenous to the subject. In addition, the first chimeric protein contains a DNA binding domain to which the target gene is responsive and the second chimeric protein contains a transcription modulating domain, such as a transcription activator or a transcription repressor. In one embodiment of the invention, two invention systems form a dimer having the properties of a native heterodimer or homodimer. In another embodiment, only the first chimeric protein contains a DNA binding domain and only the second chimeric protein contains a transcription activating domain.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that nuclear receptor proteins isolated from the silk moth bombyx mori (bR) are useful for the regulation of transgene expression. bR is generally thought to be a strong transcriptional regulator within cells of the silk moth. In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that bR is also functional in mammalian cells. It has further been discovered that the addition of activation domains to the bR open-reading frame enhances the activity of the ligand modulated regulator to afford high-level transcriptional induction. Further modifications to the bR ligand binding domain result in receptors with unique transactivational characteristics.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that nuclear receptor proteins isolated from the silk moth Bombyx mori (bR) are useful for the regulation of transgene expression. bR is generally thought to be a strong transcriptional regulator within cells of the silk moth. In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that bR is also functional in mammalian cells. It has further been discovered that the addition of activation domains to the bR open-reading frame enhances the activity of the ligand modulated regulator to afford high-level transcriptional induction. Further modifications to the bR ligand binding domain result in receptors with unique tranactivational characteristics.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, novel retroviral vectors containing modified long terminal repeats (LTRS) which enable high level and ligand-modulatable expression of a desired gene product, even after prolonged periods of cellular quiescence, have been designed and constructed. Invention vectors overcome proviral transcriptional inactivation which occurs in cultured primary cells that are growth arrested due to environmental constraints such as contact inhibition and/or nutrient starvation. Invention vectors represent a class of retroviral vectors in which LTR-promoted proviral expression in infected cells may be maintained or increased, even in situations generally considered to be non-permissive for retroviral vectors.