Harvard College

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Other

David B Thompson

David R Liu

John Zuris

Zheng-Yi Chen

Margie Li

John Paul Guilinger

Jeffrey L Bessen

Kevin J Kiley

Linda L Thompson

Dusty R Pace

James Joseph Cronican

Johnny W Mills

Danny Joe Crutchfield

Michael E Gannon

Brian R McNaughton

David C Moore

John Anthony Zuris

Compositions are described for direct protein delivery into multiple cell types in the mammalian inner ear. The compositions are used to deliver protein(s) (such as gene editing factors) editing of genetic mutations associated with deafness or associated disorders thereof. The delivery of genome editing proteins for gene editing and correction of genetic mutations protect or restore hearing from genetic deafness. Methods of treatment include the intracellular delivery of these molecules to a specific therapeutic target.

Methods for efficient delivery of therapeutic molecules in vitro and in vivo

Compositions and provided to induce cells of the inner ear to renter the cell cycle and to proliferate. In particular, hair cells are induced to proliferate by administration of a composition which activates the Myc and Notch. Supporting cells are induced to transdifferentiate to hair cells by inhibition of Myc and Notch activity or the activation of Atoh1. Methods of treatment include the intracellular delivery of these molecules to a specific therapeutic target.

Efficient delivery of therapeutic molecules to cells of the inner ear

Some aspects of the present disclosure provide methods for evolving recombinases to recognize target sequences that differ from the canonical recognition sequences. Some aspects of this disclosure provide evolved recombinases, e.g., recombinases that bind and recombine naturally-occurring target sequences, such as, e.g., target sequences within the human Rosa26 locus. Methods for using such recombinases for genetically engineering nucleic acid molecules in vitro and in vivo are also provided. Some aspects of this disclosure also provide libraries and screening methods for assessing the target site preferences of recombinases, as well as methods for selecting recombinases that bind and recombine a non-canonical target sequence with high specificity.

Evolution of site-specific recombinases

Method for efficient delivery of therapeutic molecules in vitro and in vivo

Compositions, methods, strategies, kits, and systems for the delivery of negatively charged proteins, protein complexes, and fusion proteins, using cationic polymers or lipids are provided. Delivery of proteins into cells can be effected in vivo, ex vivo, or in vitro. Proteins that can be delivered using the compositions, methods, strategies, kits, and systems provided herein include, without limitation, enzymes, transcription factors, genome editing proteins, Cas9 proteins, TALEs, TALENs, nucleases, binding proteins (e.g., ligands, receptors, antibodies, antibody fragments; nucleic acid binding proteins, etc.), structural proteins, and therapeutic proteins (e.g., tumor suppressor proteins, therapeutic enzymes, growth factors, growth factor receptors, transcription factors, proteases, etc.), as well as variants and fusions of such proteins.

Delivery of negatively charged proteins using cationic lipids

Some aspects of this disclosure provide compositions, methods, and kits for improving the specificity of RNA-programmable endonucleases, such as Cas9. Also provided are variants of Cas9, e.g., Cas9 dimers and fusion proteins, engineered to have improved specificity for cleaving nucleic acid targets. Also provided are compositions, methods, and kits for site-specific nucleic acid modification using Cas9 fusion proteins (e.g., nuclease-inactivated Cas9 fused to a nuclease catalytic domain or a recombinase catalytic domain). Such Cas9 variants are useful in clinical and research settings involving site-specific modification of DNA, for example, genomic modifications.

CAS9 variants and uses thereof

Compositions, methods, strategies, kits, and systems for the supercharged protein-mediated delivery of functional effector proteins into cells in vivo, ex vivo, or in vitro are provided. Compositions, methods, strategies, kits, and systems for delivery of functional effector proteins using cationic lipids and cationic polymers are also provided. Functional effector proteins include, without limitation, transcriptional modulators (e.g., repressors or activators), recombinases, nucleases (e.g., RNA-programmable nucleases, such as Cas9 proteins; TALE nuclease, and zinc finger nucleases), deaminases, and other gene modifying/editing enzymes. Functional effector proteins include TALE effector proteins, e.g., TALE transcriptional activators and repressors, as well as TALE nucleases. Compositions, methods, strategies, and systems for the delivery of functional effector proteins into cells is useful for therapeutic and research purposes, including, but not limited to, the targeted manipulation of a gene associated with disease, the modulation of the expression level of a gene associated with disease, and the programming of cell fate.

Delivery system for functional nucleases

Efficient delivery of therapeutic molecules in vitro and in vivo

Use of cationic lipids to deliver CAS9

Compositions, methods, strategies, kits, and systems for the supercharged protein-mediated delivery of functional effector proteins into cells in vivo, ex vivo, or in vitro are provided. Compositions, methods, strategies, kits, and systems for delivery of funcational effector proteins using cationic lipids and cationic polymers are also provided. Functional effector proteins include, without limitation, transcriptional modulators (e.g., repressors or activators), recombinases, nucleases (e.g., RNA-programmable nucleases, such as Cas9 proteins; TALE nuclease, and zinc finger nucleases), deaminases, and other gene modifying/editing enzymes. Functional effector proteins include TALE effector proteins, e.g., TALE transcriptional activators and repressors, as well as TALE nucleases. Compositions, methods, strategies, and systems for the delivery of functional effector proteins into cells is useful for therapeutic and research purposes, including, but not limited to, the targeted manipulation of a gene associated with disease, the modulation of the expression level of a gene associated with disease, and the programming of cell fate.

Some aspects of this disclosure provide compositions, methods, and kits for improving the specificity of RNA-programmable endonucleases, such as Cas9. Also provided are variants of Cas9, e.g., Cas9 dimers and fusion proteins, engineered to have improved specificity for cleaving nucleic acid targets. Also provided are compositions, methods, and kits for site-specific recombination, using Cas9 fusion proteins (e.g., nuclease-inactivated Cas9 fused to a recombinase catalytic domain). Such Cas9 variants are useful in clinical and research settings involving site-specific modification of DNA, for example, genomic modifications.

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, MA, United States of America

David B Thompson