IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,606,815
Granted Patent B2
US 12,606,815 · App. 16/904,529 · Granted Apr 21, 2026

Self-diversifying systems and methods of use thereof

Inventors: Feng Zhang (Cambridge, MA); Jonathan Leo Schmid-Burgk (Cambridge, MA)
Assignees: The Board Institute, Inc.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology
C12N15/1037C07K14/4726C12N9/1276C12N15/00C12N15/1024C12N15/1027C12N15/1031C12Y207/07049C07K2319/70C07K2319/80C07K2319/85
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,606,815
App. No.
16/904,529
Granted
Apr 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A diversity-generating system comprising: a polynucleotide comprising: a variable region within a sequence encoding a protein or polypeptide, wherein the system is configured to generate a library of diversified molecules with an efficiency of 80% as measured by number of the diversified molecules in total number of molecules. The system may further comprise a template region; and a reverse transcriptase or functional domain thereof.

Claims (19)

1 . A self-diversifying system comprising an in vitro engineered vector, wherein the vector comprises a promoter, a polynucleotide sequence, and a nucleic acid template region, wherein the polynucleotide sequence is operably linked to the promoter, is the nucleotide sequence selected from SEQ ID Nos. 98-123, and comprises one or more open reading frames, wherein at least one of the open reading frames comprises a self-diversifying element, wherein the nucleic acid template region is operably linked to a nucleic acid variable region of the polynucleotide sequence, and wherein the self-diversifying element is a diversity generating retroelement (DGR) or a non-DGR.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the self-diversifying element is a (DGR).

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the self-diversifying element is a non-DGR.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a reverse transcriptase or functional domain thereof.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide sequence encodes c-type lectin fold or a fragment thereof.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide sequence encodes a protein or polypeptide capable of binding to a protein or a nucleic acid.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid variable region and the nucleic acid template region have a sequence homology less than 80%.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is capable of generating a population of proteins.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is capable of generating a population of polynucleotides.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is capable of generating one or more binding partners of a target molecule.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the target molecule is a protein.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the target molecule is an antigen.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the target molecule is a polynucleotide.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system generates a library of diversified molecules when the vector is introduced to cells.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the diversified molecules are polynucleotide-binding proteins or polypeptide-binding proteins.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the polynucleotide-binding proteins or polypeptide-binding proteins are selected from SEQ ID NOs: 3 and 4.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein SEQ ID NOs: 3 and 4 are encoded by SEQ ID NO: 1 and 2 respectively.

18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid variable region is within an open reading frame of the one or more open reading frames.

19 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the self-diversifying element comprises one or more initiation of mutagenic homing (IMH) sequences.

Assignments (3)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Oct 2, 2023
From: BROAD INSTITUTE, INC.
To: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH), U.S. DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS), U.S. GOVERNMENT
Reel/Frame 065091/0728 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2022
From: ZHANG, FENG
To: THE BROAD INSTITUTE, INC.; MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 058781/0670 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2020
From: SCHMID-BURGK, JONATHAN LEO
To: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 053657/0054 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62862522 · Jun 17, 2019
Provisional Application 62912602 · Oct 8, 2019
Related Publication 20200392482A1 · Dec 17, 2020
References Cited (13)
US 20100041033A1 · Miller et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
“Diversity-generating retroelements” from Wikipedia. Printed on Sep. 9, 2023. [cited by examiner]
The definition “Retroelements”. Printed on Sep. 9, 2023. [cited by examiner]
Sequence alignment between SEQ ID No. 101 and Bacteroides faecis strain BFG-554 chromosome. Printed on Nov. 15, 2024. [cited by examiner]
Sequence alignment between SEQ ID No. 115 and Bacteroides Ovatus strain BFG-179 chromosome. Printed on Nov. 15, 2024. [cited by examiner]
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Guo, et al., “Diversity-Generating Retroelement Homing Regnerates Target Sequences for Repeated Rounds of Codon Rewriting and Protein Diversification,” Molecular Cell 31, published Sep. 26, 2008, pp. 813-823. [cited by applicant]
Handa, et al., “Template-assisted synthesis of adenine-mutagenized cDNA by a retroelement protein complex,” Nucleic Acids Research vol. 46, No. 18, published 2018, pp. 9711-9725. [cited by applicant]
Schillinger, et al., “Analysis of a comprehensive dataset of diversity generating retroelements generated by the program DiGReF,” BMC Genomics 13:430, published 2012, all enclosed pages cited. [cited by applicant]