Viral Vectors & Particles

The pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As the first step of the viral replication, the virus attaches to the host cell surface before entering the cell. The viral Spike protein recognizes and attaches to the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor found on the surface of type I and II pneumocytes, endothelial cells, and ciliated bronchial epithelial cells. Drugs targeting the interaction between the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 may offer protection against the viral infection. Omicron Variant was identified in South Africa in November of 2021. This variant has a large number of mutations that allow the virus to spread more easily and quickly than other variants. As of May 2022, Omicron variants have been divided into seven distinct sub-lineages: BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5. Among them, BA.4 and BA.5 have identical mutations on their spike protein. The spike prote

Cre Recombinase is a Type I topoisomerase from bacteriophage P1 that catalyzes the site-specific recombination of DNA between loxP sites. loxP is a 34 bp DNA sequence at which confers directionality. Cre recombinase is used as a tool to genetically modify genes, such as to delete a segment of DNA flanked by LoxP sites in cells or experimental animals. This pre-packaged adenovirus over-expresses Cre recombinase under CMV promoter.

CD8 (cluster of differentiation 8) is a cell surface glycoprotein found on most cytotoxic T lymphocytes that functions within the immune system to mediate cell-cell interactions. The functional forms of CD8 consist of either a heterodimer of two isoforms, CD8α and CD8β, or a homodimer of two CD8α molecules. CD8 acts as a coreceptor to facilitate binding between the T-cell Receptor (TCR) and the class I Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC). Studying CD8 and its importance in isoimmunity can further our understanding of post-transplant recognition. The CD8a/CD8b (CD8α/CD8β) Lentiviruses are replication incompetent, HIV-based, VSV-G pseudotyped lentiviral particles that are ready to transduce almost all types of mammalian cells, including primary and non-dividing cells. The particles contain P2A-linked CD8a (NM_001768.6) and CD8b (NM_004931.5) driven by an EF1a promoter and a puromycin selection marker).

Cereblon (CRBN) forms an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex which is responsible for ubiquitinating proteins that regulate various developmental processes. CRBN also binds to Calcium Activated Potassium Channel subunit alpha-1 (KCNMA1) to regulate ion transport. Moreover, mutations in CRBN may play an underlying role in tumor cells acquiring resistance to immunotherapy. The CRBN CRISPR/Cas9 Lentiviruses are replication incompetent, HIV-based VSV-G pseudotyped lentiviral particles that are ready to transduce almost all types of mammalian cells, including primary and non-dividing cells. The particles contain a CRISPR/Cas9 gene driven by an EF1a promoter, along with 5 sgRNA (single guide RNA) targeting human CRBN. The DNA transduced by this lentivirus integrates randomly into the cellular genome to express both Cas9 and sgRNA. Puromycin selection increases the knockout efficiency by forcing high expression levels of both Cas9 and the sgRNA, and can be used with the integrating lentivirus to quic

Cereblon (CRBN) forms an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex which is responsible for ubiquitinating proteins that regulate various developmental processes. CRBN also binds to Calcium Activated Potassium Channel subunit alpha-1 (KCNMA1) to regulate ion transport. Moreover, mutations in CRBN may play an underlying role in tumor cells acquiring resistance to immunotherapy. The CRBN CRISPR/Cas9 Lentiviruses are replication incompetent, HIV-based VSV-G pseudo-typed lentiviral particles that are ready to transduce into almost all types of mammalian cells, including primary and non-dividing cells. The particles contain a CRISPR/Cas9 gene driven by an EF1a promoter, along with 5 sgRNA (single guide RNA) targeting human CRBN. The non-integrating lentivirus is made with a mutated integrase, resulting in only transient expression of the Cas9 and sgRNA. Although using the non-integrating lentivirus results in lower knockdown efficiency, the Cas9 is not permanently expressed, which lowers the risk of off-

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Pseudovirus can be used to measure neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2.