This application claims priority to EP17191829, filed 19 September, 2017

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a family of self-replicating non-integrative episomal vertebrate expression vectors useful for in gene therapy, ex vivo cell therapy, stem cell therapy, and more particularly, for improving the expression of vector encoded antigens or therapeutic genes.

Such recombinant DNA molecules are useful in biotechnology, transgenic organisms, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, therapeutic vaccination, agriculture and DNA vaccines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Genetic modification of cells is used routinely in modern cell culture for scientific purposes. However, use of corresponding techniques in treatment of inherited diseases caused by mutations of genes, while being highly desirable, still is hampered by the problem that methods available usually only provide transient modification, such as transient transfection protocols, whereas methods providing stable modification of cells such as with viral retroviral and lentiviral vectors or non-viral transposon vectors usually rely on integration of the transgene into the genome of the host cell. Integration of a transgene, however, even if targeted to a specific locus, bears the risk of inducing a deleterious mutation, which may lead e.g. to cancer as a side effect of treatment. Scaffold/matrix attachment regions (S/MARs), which are also known as scaffold-attachment regions (SARs) or matrix-associated regions (MARs) are known as sequences in the genome of eukaryotic organisms mediating attachment of the nuclear matrix. The S/MARS are AT rich sequences, and some AT-rich motifs were found to be further enriched (Liebeich et al., (2002), NAR 30(15): 3433). A variety of vectors has been proposed for stable maintenance in cells based on S/MAR motifs, e.g. in US 6,410,314 Bl and in Haase et al, (2010), BMC Biotechnology 10:20; moreover, epigenetic effects having an influence on replication of such vectors were identified (Haase et al, (013), PLOS One 8(1 l):e79262). Nonetheless, S/MAR based vectors being stable enough for use in gene therapy are needed.

Suboptimal expression level, gene silencing and low establishment rate represent the major limitations of S/MAR based vectors described in the art. There is, therefore a need for improved means and methods for stable transfection of cells, in particular using S/MAR elements and avoiding the risks involved with integration of the transgene into the genome of the host cell. This problem is solved by the means and methods disclosed herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to vectors useful for non-integrative episomal gene therapy and stem cell therapy, and more particularly, for improving transgene expression and vector establishment efficiency of a self-replicating non-integrative episomal S/MAR expression vector, and for eliminating antibiotic resistance marker gene transfer by non-viral vectors.

Improved vector methods and compositions that improve the expression and establishment efficiency of a self-replicating non-integrative episomal S/MAR expression vector in a target vertebrate cell are disclosed.

One object of the invention is to provide improved expression of a self-replicating non- integrative episomal S/MAR expression vector in a target vertebrate cell.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved establishment efficiency of a self- replicating non-integrative episomal S/MAR expression vector in a target vertebrate cell.

In one embodiment, the present technology provides a method for improving the expression and establishment efficiency of a self-replicating non-integrative episomal S/MAR expression vector in a target vertebrate cell comprising the following steps: a) providing a episomal S/MAR expression vector comprising: i) a bacterial replication-selection region comprising a bacterial origin of replication and a selectable marker; ii) a transcription unit for expression of a transgene in a vertebrate cell, comprising a promoter, a 5 ' UTR, a transgene, and a 3 ' UTR; iii) an S/MAR insert located within said 3 ' UTR; and b) modifying the episomal S/MAR expression vector such that the S/MAR is flanked by a 5' splice donor site and a 3' splice acceptor site within said 3' UTR, whereby the resultant self-replicating non- integrative episomal S/MAR expression vector has improved the expression and establishment efficiency after transfection of a vertebrate cell. In a further embodiment said S/MAR contains internal AATAAA transcription termination motifs. In a further embodiment said AATAAA transcription termination motifs in said S/MAR are replaced with AATATT motifs. In a further embodiment said S/MAR is selected from the group consisting of human Interferon beta S/MAR, Ml 8 S/MAR, ApoLl S/MAR. In a further embodiment said SMAR flanked by a 5' splice donor site and a 3' splice acceptor site has at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 19, SEQ ID NO: 20, SEQ ID NO: 21, SEQ ID NO: 22, and SEQ ID NO: 23. In a further embodiment said bacterial origin of replication is an R6K gamma replication origin. In a further embodiment said bacterial origin of replication is an R6K gamma replication origin with at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, and SEQ ID NO: 4. In a further embodiment said selectable marker is an RNA-IN regulating RNA-OUT functional variant with at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 5, and SEQ ID NO: 7. In a further embodiment said selectable marker is an RNA-OUT RNA selectable marker that encodes an RNA-IN regulating RNA-OUT RNA with at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 6. In a further embodiment said bacterial replication-selection region comprising a bacterial origin of replication and a selectable marker is a R6K origin-RNA-OUT RNA selectable marker bacterial replication-selection region with at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 8, SEQ ID NO: 9, SEQ ID NO: 10, SEQ ID NO: 11, SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO: 13, SEQ ID NO: 14, SEQ ID NO: 15, SEQ ID NO: 16, and SEQ ID NO: 17. In a further embodiment said 5' UTR further encodes an intron. In a further embodiment said transcription unit further encodes an expression enhancer positioned upstream of the promoter. In a further embodiment said expression enhancer has at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 27, and SEQ ID NO: 28. In a further embodiment said splice donor site has at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:25. In a further embodiment said splice acceptor site has at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 26. In a further embodiment said self-replicating non- integrative episomal S/MAR expression vector is selected from the group consisting of plasmid vector, Nanoplasmid vector, Mini-Intronic Plasmid, Integration-Deficient Lentivirus vector, and Non-integrating Lentiviral vectors.

In another embodiment, the present technology provides an antibiotic marker free covalently closed circular recombinant DNA molecule comprising: a) an antibiotic marker free transcription unit for expression of a transgene in a vertebrate cell, comprising a promoter, a 5' UTR, a transgene, and a 3' UTR; b) an S/MAR located within said 3 ' UTR wherein said S/MAR is flanked by a 5 ' splice donor site and a 3' splice acceptor site; c) an R6K gamma replication origin with at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, and SEQ ID NO: 4; and d) an RNA-OUT RNA selectable marker comprising an RNA-IN regulating RNA-OUT functional variant with at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 5, and SEQ ID NO: 7. In a further embodiment said R6K gamma replication origin and said RNA-OUT RNA selectable marker comprise a R6K origin-RNA-OUT RNA selectable marker bacterial replication-selection region with at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 8, SEQ ID NO: 9, SEQ ID NO: 10, SEQ ID NO: 11, SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO: 13, SEQ ID NO: 14, SEQ ID NO: 15, SEQ ID NO: 16, and SEQ ID NO: 17. In a further embodiment said S/MAR is selected from the group consisting of human Interferon beta S/MAR, Ml 8 S/MAR, ApoLl S/MAR. In a further embodiment said S/MAR contains internal AATAAA transcription termination motifs. In a further embodiment said AATAAA transcription termination motifs in said S/MAR are replaced with AATATT motifs. In a further embodiment said S/MAR is selected from the group consisting of human Interferon beta S/MAR, Ml 8 S/MAR, ApoLl S/MAR. In a further embodiment said SMAR flanked by a 5' splice donor site and a 3' splice acceptor site has at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 19, SEQ ID NO: 20, SEQ ID NO: 21, SEQ ID NO: 22, and SEQ ID NO: 23. In a further embodiment said 5' UTR further encodes an intron. In a further embodiment said transcription unit further encodes an expression enhancer positioned upstream of the promoter. In a further embodiment said expression enhancer has at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 27, and SEQ ID NO: 28. In a further embodiment said splice donor site has at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:25. In a further embodiment said splice acceptor site has at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 26. In another embodiment, the present technology provides an covalently closed circular recombinant DNA molecule comprising: a) an transcription unit for expression of a transgene in a vertebrate cell, comprising a promoter, a 5' UTR, a transgene, and a 3' UTR; b) an S/MAR located within said 3' UTR wherein said S/MAR is flanked by a 5' splice donor site and a 3' splice acceptor site; c) an R6K gamma replication origin with at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, and SEQ ID NO: 4; and d) an RNA- OUT RNA selectable marker comprising an RNA-IN regulating RNA-OUT functional variant with at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 5, and SEQ ID NO: 7. In a further embodiment said R6K gamma replication origin and said RNA-OUT RNA selectable marker comprise a R6K origin-RNA-OUT RNA selectable marker bacterial replication- selection region with at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 8, SEQ ID NO: 9, SEQ ID NO: 10, SEQ ID NO: 11, SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO: 13, SEQ ID NO: 14, SEQ ID NO: 15, SEQ ID NO: 16, and SEQ ID NO: 17. In a further embodiment said S/MAR is selected from the group consisting of human Interferon beta S/MAR, Ml 8 S/MAR, ApoLl S/MAR. In a further embodiment said S/MAR contains internal AATAAA transcription termination motifs. In a further embodiment said AATAAA transcription termination motifs in said S/MAR are replaced with AATATT motifs. In a further embodiment said S/MAR is selected from the group consisting of human Interferon beta S/MAR, Ml 8 S/MAR, ApoLl S/MAR. In a further embodiment said SMAR flanked by a 5' splice donor site and a 3' splice acceptor site has at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 19, SEQ ID NO: 20, SEQ ID NO: 21, SEQ ID NO: 22, and SEQ ID NO: 23. In a further embodiment said 5' UTR further encodes an intron. In a further embodiment said transcription unit further encodes an expression enhancer positioned upstream of the promoter. In a further embodiment said expression enhancer has at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 27, and SEQ ID NO: 28. In a further embodiment said splice donor site has at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 25. In a further embodiment said splice acceptor site has at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 26. The resultant plasmids with a S/MAR flanked by a 5' splice donor site and a 3' splice acceptor site within the 3' UTR have surprisingly improved establishment and transgene expression than plasmids with a S/MAR within the 3' UTR without flanking splice donor and acceptor sites.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 depicts the pCI intron, with splice donor (SD) branch point and splice acceptor (SA) regions;

FIG. 2 depicts the interferon beta S/MAR (top), and a SD interferon beta S/MAR SA derivative (middle), as well as a SD interferon beta S/MAR SA derivative in which the internal AATAAA (N) polyadenylation signals were mutated to AATATTT (bottom). One of these polyadenylation signals is within the S/MAR internal transcription termination region identified by Stehle et al, 2003, Chromosome Research 11, 431

FIG. 3 depicts the interferon beta S/MAR derivative Ml 8 with flanking SD and SA sites

FIG. 4 depicts the 805 bp (top) or 525 bp (bottom) apoB S/MAR with flanking SD and SA sites

FIG. 5 depicts the pMAX-UCOE-coGFP P2A-PuroR-NP (pSMARt UCOE) vector

FIG. 6 depicts the NTC9385R-UCOE-CMV- coGFP P2A-PuroR -SMAR-SV40 pA (NP-UCOE) and NTC9385R-UCOE-CMV- coGFP P2A-PuroR - SD SMAR- SA SV40 pA (NP-UCOE-SP) vectors FIG. 7 depicts the NTC9385R-SP-UCOE-CMV-GFP SMARter (NP-SMARter-SP) and NTC9385R-SP-UCOE-CMV-GFP CMARter (NP-CMARter-SP) vectors

FIG. 8 depicts the NTC9385R- UCOE EF1 -coGFP SD -SMAR SA SV40 pA

(NP-UCOE-EF1-SP) and NTC9385R- UCOE EFl-coGFP-SD SMAR R6K-R-OUT-SA pA

(UCOE-EF1-SP-NP) vectors

FIG. 9 depicts the NTC9385R-SP-ELE40-CMV-GFP CMARter (NP-Ele40-CMARter-SP) vector

FIG. 10 depicts improved expression of established S/MAR vectors with flanking SD and SA sites. Left panel: MFI of HEK293T cells established with a S/MAR vector with and without splice junctions. The vectors contain NP bacterial region, the genomic insulator UCOE, the expression cassette GFP -2A-PuroR driven by the CMV promoter and the interferon beta S/MAR in the 3' UTR with (Nano- S/MAR-splice = NP-UCOE-SP; NTC9385R-UCOE-CMV- coGFP P2A-PuroR - SD SMAR- SA SV40 pA Figure 6) or without (NP-UCOE; NTC9385R-UCOE-CMV- coGFP P2A-PuroR -SMAR-SV40 pA, Figure 6) S/MAR flanking SD and SA sites. Right panel: the improved transcription expression is confirmed by real time PCR analysis. The expression of the transgene GFP was normalized to the housekeeping gene GAPDH.

FIG. 11 depicts improved expression of established S/MAR vectors with flanking SD and SA sites. MFI of established cells (HEK293T and primary Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast) with vectors harboring different S/MARs with and without flanking SD and SA sites. Vector names are as in Figures 5, 6 and 7.

FIG. 12 depicts improved establishment of S/MAR vectors with flanking SD and SA sites. Colony forming assay conducted in HEK293T with vectors harboring two different S/MARs with and without flanking SD and SA sites. Column 1 = pEPI, CMV promoter plasmid vector with a 3' UTR interferon beta S/MAR (Piechaczek, et al, 1999. Nucleic Acids Res 27:426); Column 2 = pSMARt- UCOE (Figure 5); Column 3 = P-UCOE (Figure 6); Column 4 = P-UCOE-SP (Figure 6); Column 5 = pSMARt UCOE encoding the 805 bp ApoB MAR; Column 6 = P-SMARter-SP (Figure 7).

Table 1 : pNTC multiple cloning site flanked R6K Origin-RNA-OUT selection marker vectors Table 2: Transient expression of S/MAR vectors after transfection into A549 and HEK293 cell lines

Table 3: Transient expression of S/MAR vectors after transfection into A549 and HEK293 cell lines

Table 4: Transient expression of S/MAR vectors after transfection into A549 and HEK293 cell lines

SEQ ID NO:l: R6K gamma origin

SEQ ID NO:2: 1 CpG R6K gamma origin

SEQ ID NO:3: CpG free R6K gamma origin

SEQ ID NO:4: Extended R6K gamma origin

SEQ ID NO:5: RNA-OUT Selectable Marker

SEQ ID NO:6: RNA-OUT antisense repressor RNA

SEQ ID NO:7: 2 CpG RNA-OUT Selectable Marker

SEQ ID NO:8: R6K gamma origin-RNA-OUT bacterial region flanked by Nhel and Kpnl restriction sites

SEQ ID NO:9: 1 CpG R6K gamma origin-2 CpG RNA-OUT bacterial region flanked by Nhel and Kpnl restriction sites

SEQ ID NO: 10: pNTC-NP l polylinker ΐφΑ R6K-RNA-OUT polylinker cloning cassette:

EcoRI/Hindlll

SEQ ID NO:ll: pNTC-NP2 polylinker ΐφΑ R6K-RNA-OUT polylinker cloning cassette:

EcoRI/Hindlll

SEQ ID NO:12: pNTC-NP3 polylinker ΐφΑ R6K-RNA-OUT polylinker cloning cassette:

EcoRI/Hindlll

SEQ ID NO:13: pNTC-NP4 polylinker ΐφΑ R6K-RNA-OUT polylinker cloning cassette:

EcoRI/Hindlll

SEQ ID NO: 14: pNTC-NP5 polylinker ΐφΑ R6K-RNA-OUT polylinker cloning cassette: Kasl/Hindlll SEQ ID NO:15: pNTC-NP6 polylinker ΐφΑ R6K-RNA-OUT polylinker cloning cassette: EcoRI/SacI SEQ ID NO:16: pNTC-NP7 polylinker ΐφΑ R6K-RNA-OUT polylinker cloning cassette:

BssHII/BssHII

SEQ ID NO:17: pNTC-3xCpG NP1 polylinker R6K-RNA-OUT polylinker cloning cassette:

Hindlll/EcoRI

SEQ ID NO: 18: Human Interferon beta S/MAR flanked by 5' Bglll-Xhol site and 3' EcoRI restriction enzyme sites

SEQ ID NO: 19: Splice donor-human Interferon beta S/MAR-splice acceptor flanked by 5' Bglll site and 3' BamHI restriction enzyme sites

SEQ ID NO:20: Splice donor-human Interferon beta S/MAR (-AATAAA)-splice acceptor flanked by 5' Bglll site and 3 ' BamHI restriction enzyme sites

SEQ ID NO:21: Splice donor-human Interferon beta M18 S/MAR-splice acceptor flanked by 5' Bglll site and 3' BamHI restriction enzyme sites

SEQ ID NO:22: Splice donor-805 bp human Apolipoprotein B S/MAR-splice acceptor flanked by 5' Bglll site and 3 ' BamHI restriction enzyme sites

SEQ ID NO:23: Splice donor-525 bp human Apolipoprotein B S/MAR-splice acceptor flanked by 5' Nsil site and 3 ' BamHI restriction enzyme sites SEQ ID NO:24: pCI intron

SEQ ID NO:25: pCI Splice donor

SEQ ID NO:26: pCI Splice acceptor (murine IgG)

SEQ ID NO:27: Ele40 expression enhancer

SEQ ID NO:28: A2UCOE expression enhancer

SEQ ID NO:29: Splice acceptor consensus sequence

Definition of Terms

AF: Antibiotic -free

amp: Ampicillin

ampR: Ampicillin Resistance gene

Antibiotic selectable marker: A gene that confirs resistance to an antibiotic, e.g. ampicillin resistance gene, kanamycin resistance gene, chloramphenicol resistance gene, neomycin resistance gene, puromycin resistance gene, tetracycline resistance gene

ApoB: Apolipoprotein B

Approximately: As used herein, the term "approximately" or "about," as applied to one or more values of interest, refers to a value that is the same or similar to a stated reference value

Bacterial region: Region of a plasmid vector required for propagation and selection in the bacterial host. The Bacterial region may be positioned within the spacer region in a plasmid or Nanoplasmid vector, or within an intron in a Mini-Intronic-Plasmid vector

bp: basepairs

ccc: Covalently Closed Circular

cl: Lambda repressor

cITs857: Lambda repressor further incorporating a C to T (Ala to Thr) mutation that confers temperature sensitivity. cITs857 is a functional repressor at 28-30°C but is mostly inactive at 37-42°C. Also called cI857

Cat ^R : Chloramphenicol resistance gene

cmv: Cytomegalovirus

E. coli: Escherichia coli, a gram negative bacteria

EGFP: Enhanced green fluorescent protein

ELE40: anti -repressor element Element 40, STAR40 disclosed in Kwaks et al, 2003, Nat Biotechnol. 21 :553

EP: Electroporation

Establishment efficiency: The percentage of cells in which a self-replicating non-integrative episomal S/MAR expression vector is stably retained as a replicative episome after transfection Eukaryotic expression vector: A vector for expression of mRNA, protein antigens, protein therapeutics, shPvNA, RNA or microRNA genes in a target eukaryotic cell or organism using RNA Polymerase I, II or III promoters

Eukaryotic region: The region of a plasmid that encodes eukaryotic sequences and/or sequences required for plasmid function in the target organism. This includes the region of a plasmid vector required for expression of one or more transgenes in the target organism including RNA Pol II enhancers, promoters, transgenes and polyA sequences. This also includes the region of a plasmid vector required for expression of one or more transgenes in the target organism using RNA Pol I or RNA Pol III promoters, RNA Pol I or RNA Pol III expressed transgenes or RNAs. The eukaryotic region may optionally include other functional sequences, such as eukaryotic transcriptional terminators, supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, S/MARs, boundary elements, etc. Exon: A nucleotide sequence encoded by a gene that is transcribed and present within a mature mRNA product after RNA splicing to remove introns has been completed

Expression enhancer: A DNA sequence that improves the expression of an adjacent promoter. For example, Ele40, UCOE, anti-repressor elements, or Stabilising Anti Repressor (STAR) elements as reviewed in Saunders et al., 2015 PloS One 10:e0120096

Expression vector: A vector for expression of mRNA, protein antigens, protein therapeutics, shRNA, RNA or microRNA genes in a target organism

g: Gram, kg for kilogram

gene of interest: gene to be expressed in the target organism. Includes mRNA genes that encode protein or peptide antigens, protein or peptide therapeutics, and mRNA, shRNA, RNA or microRNA that encode RNA therapeutics, and mRNA, shRNA, RNA or microRNA that encode RNA vaccines, etc.

GFP: Green fluorescent protein

Hr(s): Hour(s)

immune response: Antigen reactive cellular (e.g. antigen reactive T cells) or antibody (e.g. antigen reactive IgG) responses

Intron: A nucleotide sequence encoded by a gene that is transcribed and subsequently removed from a mature mRNA product by RNA splicing between the 5' splice donor and 3' splice acceptor sites kan: Kanamycin

kanR: Kanamycin Resistance gene

kozak sequence: Optimized consensus DNA sequence gccRccATG (R = G or A) immediately upstream of an ATG start codon that ensures efficient tranlation initiation.

Lentiviral vector: Integrative viral vector that can infect dividing and non-dividing cells. Also call Lentiviral transfer plasmid. Plasmid encodes Lentiviral LTR flanked expression unit. Transfer plasmid is transfected into production cells along with Lentiviral envelope and packaging plasmids required to make viral particles

MFI: Medium Fluorescent Intensity Minicircle: Covalently closed circular plasmid derivatives in which the bacterial region has been removed from the parent plasmid by in vivo or in vitro site-specific recombination or in vitro restriction digestion/ligation. Minicircle vectors are replication incompetent in bacterial cells

Mini-Intronic Plasmid: MIP vector, in which the bacterial region is encoded within an intron rather than the spacer region as described in Lu et al, 2013, Mol. Ther 21:954

mRNA: Messenger RNA

NA: Not Applicable

Nanoplasmid™ vector: Nanoplasmid Vector, a vector with a bacterial region combining an RNA selectable marker with a R6K, ColE2 or ColE2 related replication origin. For example, NTC9385C, NTC9685C, NTC9385R, NTC9685R vectors and modifications described in Williams, 2014. DNA plasmids with improved expression. World Patent Application WO2014035457

NeoR: neomycin resistance gene

Non-integrating lentiviral vector: A lentiviral vector with mutated integrase and a S/MAR for maintenance of episomal LTR circles such as those described in Verghese et al, 2014 Nucleic Acids Research 42:e53.

NP: Nanoplasmid

NTC8385: NTC8385 (and NTC8485 and NTC8685) plasmids are antibiotic-free pUC origin vectors that contain a short RNA (RNA-OUT) selectable marker instead of an antibiotic resistance marker such as kanR. The creation and application of these RNA-OUT based antibiotic-free vectors are described in Williams, JA 2008 World Patent Application WO2008153733 and Williams, JA 2010 US Patent Application 20100184158

NTC9385R: The NTC9385R Nanoplasmid™ vector described in Williams, Supra, 2014 has a spacer region encoded Nhel- trpA terminator-R6K origin RNA-OUT -Kpnl bacterial region (SEQ ID NO: 8) linked through the flanking Nhel and Kpnl sites to the eukaryotic region.

OD ₆ oo: optical density at 600 nm

PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction

pINT pR pL vector: The pINT pR pL attHKtm integration expression vector is described in Luke et al, 2011 Mol Biotechnol 47:43. The target gene to be expressed is cloned downstream of the pL promoter. The vector encodes the temperature inducible cI857 repressor, allowing heat inducible target gene expression

P _L promoter: Lambda promoter left. P _L is a strong promoter that is repressed by the cl repressor binding to OL1, OL2 and OL3 repressor binding sites. The temperature sensitive cI857 repressor allows control of gene expression by heat induction since at 30°C the cI857 repressor is functional and it represses gene expression, but at 37-42 °C the repressor is inactivated so expression of the gene ensues

P _L (OL1 G to T) promoter: Lambda promoter left. P _L is a strong promoter that is repressed by the cl repressor binding to OL1, OL2 and OL3 repressor binding sites. The temperature sensitive cI857 repressor allows control of gene expression by heat induction since at 30°C the cI857 repressor is functional and it represses gene expression, but at 37-42 °C the repressor is inactivated so expression of the gene ensues. The cl repressor binding to OL1 is reduced by the OL1 G to T mutation resulting in increased promoter activity at 30°C and 37-42 °C as described in Williams, Supra, 2014.

Plasmid: An extra chromosomal DNA molecule separate from the chromosomal DNA which is capable of replicating independently from the chromosomal DNA

Plasmid copy number: the number of copies of a plasmid per cell. Increases in plasmid copy number increase plasmid production yield

Pol: Polymerase

polyA: Polyadenylation signal or site. Polyadenylation is the addition of a poly(A) tail to an RNA molecule. The polyadenylation signal contains the sequence motif recognized by the RNA cleavage complex. Most human polyadenylation signals contain an AATAAA motif and conserved sequences 5 ' and 3 ' to it. Commonly utilized polyA signals are derived from the rabbit β globin (RBG), bovine growth hormone (BGH), SV40 early, or SV40 late polyA signals

pUC origin: pBR322-derived replication origin, with G to A transition that increases copy number at elevated temperature and deletion of the ROP negative regulator

pUC free: Plasmid that does not contain the pUC origin. Non-replicative fragments of the pUC origin may be included, for example the RNAI selectable marker

pUC plasmid: Plasmid containing the pUC origin

PuroR: Puromycin Resistance gene

R6K plasmid: NTC9385R, NTC9685R, NTC9385R2-01, NTC9385R2-02, NTC9385R2a-01, NTC9385R2a-02, NTC9385R2b-01, NTC9385R2b-02, NTC9385Ra-01, NTC9385Ra-02,

NTC9385RaF, and NTC9385RbF vectors as well as modifications and alternative vectors containing a R6K replication origin that were described in Williams, Supra, 2014. Alternative R6K vectors known in the art including, but not limited to, pCOR vectors (Gencell), pCpGfree vectors (Invivogen), and CpG free University of Oxford vectors including pGM169

R6K replication origin: a region which is specifically recognized by the R6K Rep protein to initiate DNA replication. Includes but not limited to R6K gamma replication origin sequence disclosed as SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:4, and CpG free versions (e.g. SEQ ID NO:3) as described in Drocourt et al, United States Patent 7244609

R6K replication origin-RNA-OUT bacterial region: Contains a R6K replication origin for propagation and the RNA-OUT selectable marker (e.g. SEQ ID NO:8; SEQ ID NO:9; SEQ ID NO: 10; SEQ ID NO: 11; SEQ ID NO: 12; SEQ ID NO: 13; SEQ ID NO: 14; SEQ ID NO: 15; SEQ ID NO: 16; SEQ ID NO: 17). Bacterial region may be encoded in the spacer region (Nanoplasmid vector) or in an intron (Mini-Intronic-Plasmid vector)

Rep: Replication

Rep protein dependent plasmid: A plasmid in which replication is dependent on a replication (Rep) protein provided in Trans. For example, R6K replication origin, ColE2-P9 replication origin and ColE2 related replication origin plasmids in which the Rep protein is expressed from the host strain genome. Numerous additional Rep protein dependent plasmids are known in the art, many of which are summarized in del Solar et al, Supra, 1998

Retroviral vector: Integrative viral vector that can infect dividing cells. Also call transfer plasmid. Plasmid encodes Retroviral LTR flanked expression unit. Transfer plasmid is transfected into production cells along with envelope and packaging plasmids required to make viral particles

RNA-IN: Insertion sequence 10 (IS 10) encoded RNA-IN, an RNA complementary and antisense to a portion of RNA RNA-OUT. When RNA-IN is cloned in the untranslated leader of a mRNA, annealing of RNA-IN to RNA-OUT reduces translation of the gene encoded downstream of RNA-IN

RNA-IN regulated selectable marker: A chromosomally expressed RNA-IN regulated selectable marker. In the presence of plasmid borne RNA-OUT antisense repressor RNA (SEQ ID NO:6), expression of a protein encoded downstream of RNA-IN is repressed. An RNA-IN regulated selectable marker is configured such that RNA-IN regulates either 1) a protein that is lethal or toxic to said cell per se or by generating a toxic substance (e.g. SacB), or 2) a repressor protein that is lethal or toxic to said bacterial cell by repressing the transcription of a gene that is essential for growth of said cell (e.g. murA essential gene regulated by RNA-IN tetR repressor gene). For example, chromosomally expressed RNA- IN-SacB cell lines for RNA-OUT plasmid selection/propagation are described in Williams, Supra, 2008. Alternative selection markers described in the art may be substituted for SacB

RNA-OUT: Insertion sequence 10 (IS 10) encoded RNA-OUT, an antisense RNA that hybridizes to, and reduces translation of, the transposon gene expressed downstream of RNA-IN. The sequence of the

RNA-OUT RNA (SEQ ID NO:6) and complementary RNA-IN SacB chromosomally expressed RNA- IN-SacB cell lines can be modified to incorporate alternative functional RNA-IN/RNA-OUT binding pairs such as those described in Mutalik et al, 2012 Nat Chem Biol 8:447, including, but not limited to, the RNA-OUT A08/RNA-IN S49 pair, the RNA-OUT A08/RNA-IN S08 pair, and CpG free

modifications of RNA-OUT A08 that modify the CG in the RNA-OUT 5 ' TTCGC sequence to a non- CpG sequence. An example of a CpG free RNA-OUT selection marker, in which the two CpG motifs in the RNA-OUT RNA (one of which is present in the RNA-IN complementary region) are removed, was described in Williams 2015. Replicative minicircle vectors with improved expression. US Patent Application US 2015/0275221. A multitude of alternative substitutions to remove the two CpG motifs (mutating each CpG to either CpA, CpC, CpT, ApG, GpG, or TpG) may be utilized to make a CpG free RNA-OUT

RNA-OUT Selectable marker: An RNA-OUT selectable marker DNA fragment including E. coli transcription promoter and terminator sequences flanking an RNA-OUT RNA. An RNA-OUT selectable marker, utilizing the RNA-OUT promoter and terminator sequences, that is flanked by Dralll and Kpnl restriction enzyme sites, and designer chromosomally expressed RNA-IN-SacB cell lines for RNA-OUT plasmid propagation, are described in Williams, Supra, 2008. The RNA-OUT promoter and terminator sequences in SEQ ID NO: 5 that flank the RNA-OUT RNA (SEQ ID NO:6) may be replaced with heterologous promoter and terminator sequences. For example, the RNA-OUT promoter may be substituted with a CpG free promoter known in the art, for example the I-EC2K promoter or the P5/6 5/6 or P5/6 6/6 promoters described in Williams, Supra, 2008. A 2 CpG RNA-OUT selectable marker in which the two CpG motifs in the RNA-OUT promoter are removed is given as SEQ ID NO: 7. An example of a CpG free RNA-OUT transcription unit, in which the two CpG motifs in the RNA-OUT RNA (one of which is present in the RNA-IN complementary region) and the two CpG motifs in the RNA-OUT promoter are removed was described in Williams, Supra, 2015. Vectors incorporating CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker may be selected for sucrose resistance using the RNA-IN-SacB cell lines for RNA-OUT plasmid propagation described in Williams, Supra, 2008. Alternatively, the RNA-IN sequence in these cell lines can be modified to incorporate the 1 bp change needed to perfectly match the CpG free RNA-OUT region complementary to RNA-IN

RNA polymerase II promoter: Promoter that recruits RNA Polymerase II to synthesize mRNAs, most small nuclear RNAs and microRNAs. For example, constitutive promoters such as the human or murine CMV promoter, elongation factor 1 (EFl) promoter, the chicken β -actin promoter, the β -actin promoter from other species, the elongation factor-1 a (EFl a) promoter, the phosphoglycerokinase (PGK) promoter, the Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) promoter, the human serum albumin (SA) promoter, the spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV) promoter, the a -1 antitrypsin (AAT) promoter, the thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) promoter, the cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) promoter, etc. The vectors may also utilize combination promoters such as the chicken β -actin/CMV enhancer (CAG) promoter, the human or murine CMV -derived enhancer elements combined with the elongation factor la (EFl a) promoters, CpG free versions of the human or murine CMV -derived enhancer elements combined with the elongation factor la (EFl a) promoters, the albumin promoter combined with an a -fetoprotein MERII enhancer, etc., or the diversity of tissue specific or inducible promoters know in the art such as the muscle specific promoters muscle creatine kinase (MCK), and C5-12 or the liver-specific promoters ApoE-hAAT, apolipoprotein A-I (ApoAI), etc.

RNA polymerase III promoter: Promoter that recruits RNA Polymerase III to synthesize tRNAs, 5S ribosomal RNA, and other small RNAs. For example, Class I promoters such as the 5s rRNA promoter, Class II promoter such as tRNA promoters, Class III promoters such as the U6 small nuclear RNA promoter or the HI nuclear RNase P promoter, etc.

RNA selectable marker: An RNA selectable marker is a plasmid borne expressed non-translated RNA that regulates a chromosomally expressed target gene to afford selection. This may be a plasmid borne nonsense suppressing tRNA that regulates a nonsense suppressible selectable chromosomal target as described by Crouzet J and Soubrier F 2005 US Patent 6,977,174. This may also be a plasmid borne antisense repressor RNA, a non limiting list included herein includes RNA-OUT that represses RNA-IN regulated targets (Williams, Supra, 2008), pMB l plasmid origin encoded RNAI that represses RNAII regulated targets (Grabherr R, Pfaffenzeller I. 2006 US patent application US20060063232; Cranenburgh RM. 2009; US Patent 7,611,883), IncB plasmid pMU720 origin encoded RNAI that represses RNA II regulated targets (Wilson IW, Siemering KR, Praszkier J, Pittard AJ. 1997. JBacteriol 179:742-53), ParB locus Sok of plasmid Rl that represses Hok regulated targets, Flm locus FlmB of F plasmid that represses flmA regulated targets (Morsey MA, 1999 US patent US5922583). An RNA selectable marker may be another natural antisense repressor RNAs known in the art such as those described in Wagner EGH, Altuvia S, Romby P. 2002. Adv Genet 46:361-98 and Franch T, and Gerdes K. 2000. Current Opin Microbiol 3: 159-64. An RNA selectable marker may also be an engineered repressor RNAs such as synthetic small RNAs expressed SgrS, MicC or MicF scaffolds as described in Na D, Yoo SM, Chung H, Park H, Park JH, Lee SY. 2013. Nat Biotechnol 31 : 170-4. An RNA selectable marker may also be an engineered repressor RNA as part of a selectable marker that represses a target RNA fused to a target gene to be regulated such as SacB as described in Williams, Supra, 2015

ROP: Repressor of primer

RSM: RNA selectable marker

SA: Splice Acceptor, consensus sequence YYYYYYYYYYYAGRW is presented as SEQ ID NO:29. To create an effective SA site, a splice branch point (consensus sequence YTNAY) is included upstream of the splice acceptor site (see Figure 1).

SacB: Structural gene encoding Bacillus subtilis levansucrase. Expression of SacB in gram negative bacteria is toxic in the presence of sucrose

SD: Splice Donor, consensus sequence AGGTRAGT

SEAP: Secreted alkaline phosphatase

Selectable marker: A selectable marker, for example a kanamycin resistance gene or an RNA selectable marker

Selection marker: A selectable marker, for example a kanamycin resistance gene or an RNA selectable marker

SIDD: supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures. These sites, when incorporated into a vector, may alter the susceptibility of other sequences within the vector to be destabilized. This can alter function. For example, addition of a SIDD site to an expression vector may reduce the helical de stabilization of a promoter. This may increase or decrease promoter activity, depending on the promoter since some promoters have increased expression with promoter helical de stabilization, while others will have reduced expression with promoter helical de stabilization

shRNA: Short hairpin RNA

S/MAR: Scaffold/matrix attachment region. Eukaryotic sequences that mediate DNA attachment to the nuclear matrix

Spacer region: As used herein, spacer region is the region linking the 5' and 3' ends of the eukaryotic region sequences. The eukaryotic region 5' and 3' ends are typically separated by the bacterial replication origin and bacterial selectable marker in plasmid vectors.

SR: Spacer region. target antigen: Immunogenic protein or peptide epitope, or combination of proteins and epitopes, against which an immune response can be mounted. Target antigens may by derived from a pathogen for infectious disease or allergy applications or derived from a host organism for applications such as cancer, allergy, or autoimmune diseases. Target antigens are well defined in the art. Some examples are described in Williams, Supra, 2008

TE buffer: A solution containing approximately lOmM Tris pH 8 and 1 mM EDTA

TetR: Tetracycline resistance gene

Transcription termination motif: AATAAA. Internal cleavage at AATAAA sites leaves an uncapped 5 'end on the 3'UTR RNA for nuclease digestion. Nuclease catches up to RNA Pol II and causes termination.

transfection: Method to deliver nucleic acids into cells [e.g. poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), ISCOMs, liposomes, niosomes, virosomes, chitosan, and other biodegradable polymers, microparticles, microspheres, nanoparticles, nanocapsules, electroporation, nucleofection, piezoelectric

permeabilization, sonoporation, iontophoresis, ultrasound, SQZ high speed cell deformation mediated membrane disruption, corona plasma, plasma facilitated delivery, tissue tolerable plasma, laser microporation, shock wave energy, magnetic fields, contactless magneto-permeabilization, gene gun, microneedles, microdermabrasion, hydrodynamic delivery, high pressure tail vein injection, etc] as known in the art

Transgene: Gene of interest that is cloned into a vector for expression in a target organism

ts: Temperature sensitive

μg: Microgram

μΐ: Microliter

UCOE: Ubiquitous Chromatin Opening Element, such as the A2UCOE or minimal derivatives as disclosed in Muller-Kuller et al, 2015, Nucleic Acids Research 43: 1577

UTR: Untranslated region of a mRNA (5' or 3' to the coding region)

Vector: A gene delivery vehicle, including viral (e.g. Alphavirus, Poxvirus, Lentivirus, Retrovirus,

Adenovirus, Adenovirus related virus, Integration-Deficient Lentiviral vectors, etc.) and non-viral (e.g. plasmid, Nanoplasmid, Mini-Intronic-Plasmid, MIDGE, transcriptionally active PCR fragment, minicircles, bacteriophage, etc.) vectors. These are well known in the art

Vector backbone: Eukaryotic region and bacterial region of a vector, without the transgene or target antigen coding region

Vertebrate expression vector: A vector for expression of mRNA, protein antigens, protein therapeutics, shRNA, RNA or microRNA genes in a target vertebrate cell or organism using RNA Polymerase I, II or III promoters

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The current technology relates generally to self-replicating non-integrative episomal vertebrate expression vector methods and compositions that improve episomal replication and transgene expression. The current technology can be practiced to improve expression and episomal replication of vectors such as non-viral vectors and viral vectors (e.g. episomal Integration- Deficient Lentivirus vector, Non-integrating Lentiviral vectors, episomal Retroviral vector, etc.).

Improved episomal replication is defined herein as improved non-integrative episomal vector establishment and/or maintenance in vitro or in vivo compared to a vector that does not incorporate the current technology. Improved vector expression is defined herein as improved transgene expression level and/or expression duration in vitro or in vivo compared to a transgene encoding vector that does not incorporate the current technology. It is to be understood that all references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The methods of vector modification of the present current technology have been surprisingly found to provide a solution to provide self-replicating non-integrative episomal vectors with efficient establishment.

The vector methods and compositions disclosed herein are 3' UTR SD-SMAR-SA compositions with improved expression and or episomal establishment (improved performance) compared to non SD- SA versions. Improved performance is not S/MAR specific since performance improvement is observed with various S/MARs. Improved performance is also not vector transcription unit specific, since performance improvement is observed with SD-SMAR-SA linked to various promoters, 5 ' UTRs, transgenes, and polyA signals. Improved performance is observed with or without upstream introns. Improved performance is also observed with S/MAR' s that contain transcription termination motifs. Improved performance is also observed with S/MAR' s in which transcription termination is within the S/MAR. Thus, the 3' UTR SD-SMAR-SA vectors of the disclosure are broadly applicable to improve self-replicating non-integrative episomal vertebrate expression vector performance.

The disclosed improved performance of 3' UTR SD-SMAR-SA compared to non SD-SA versions is surprising in light of the prior art. For example, Le Hir et al., 2003 Trends in Biochemical

Sciences 28:215 teaches 'Matsumoto et al. [51] found these translational effects to be highly dependent on intron position. In their study, an intron placed in the 5 ' UTR was highly stimulatory, whereas the same intron placed in the 3 ' UTR repressed translation to below the level of the corresponding intronless mRNA. ' 'Nonetheless, for researchers interested in optimizing the expression of transgenes, it is important to note that intron position is an important variable. In addition to potentially inhibiting translation, introns in the 3 ' UTR can trigger nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) of the mRNA as described below, resulting in even lower protein expression.' Barrett et al. , 2012 Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 69:3613 teaches 'In contrast to 5 'UTRs, 3 'UTRs were found to have relatively few introns (5 %) [21]. A study looking at rare cases of intron acquisition in retroposed mammalian genes found that the presence of an intron in the 3 'UTR of these genes resulted in down-regulation of gene expression by nonsense- mediated decay [52]. This negative effect on expression offers an explanation for the low prevalence of 3 'UTR introns. ' The improved performance with an S/MAR that contains transcription termination motifs and demonstrated transcription termination internal to the S/MAR (human interferon beta S/MAR; Figure 2, Stehle et al, Supra, 2003) teaches that the mechanism for improved performance cannot be simply splicing, since the results with the unmodified S/MAR predict that there would be no transcription of the splice acceptor site due to S/MAR internal transcription termination. While not limiting the application of the invention, adding flanking splice donor and splice acceptor splice sites may have an unexpected benefit to enhance transcription rate or progressivity in the disclosed invention in which the 3' UTR encodes an S/MAR sequence.

As used herein, the term "sequence identity" refers to the degree of identity between any given query sequence, e.g. SEQ ID NO: 2, and a subject sequence. A subject sequence may, for example, have at least 90 percent, at least 95 percent, or at least 99 percent sequence identity to a given query sequence. To determine percent sequence identity, a query sequence (e.g. a nucleic acid sequence) is aligned to one or more subject sequences using any suitable sequence alignment program that is well known in the art, for instance, the computer program ClustalW (version 1.83, default parameters), which allows alignments of nucleic acid sequences to be carried out across their entire length (global alignment). Chema et al., 2003 Nucleic Acids Res., 31 :3497-500. In a preferred method, the sequence alignment program (e.g. ClustalW) calculates the best match between a query and one or more subject sequences, and aligns them so that identities, similarities, and differences can be determined. Gaps of one or more nucleotides can be inserted into a query sequence, a subject sequence, or both, to maximize sequence alignments. For fast pair-wise alignments of nucleic acid sequences, suitable default parameters can be selected that are appropriate for the particular alignment program. The output is a sequence alignment that reflects the relationship between sequences. To further determine percent identity of a subject nucleic acid sequence to a query sequence, the sequences are aligned using the alignment program, the number of identical matches in the alignment is divided by the length of the query sequence, and the result is multiplied by 100. It is noted that the percent identity value can be rounded to the nearest tenth. For example, 78.11, 78.12, 78.13, and 78.14 are rounded down to 78.1, while 78.15, 78.16, 78.17, 78.18, and 78.19 are rounded up to 78.2.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1. shows annotated maps of the pCI intron (top), splice donor (SD) region (middle) and branch point and splice acceptor (SA) region (bottom).

FIG. 2 shows annotated maps of the interferon beta S/MAR (top), and a SD interferon beta S/MAR SA derivative (middle), as well as a SD interferon beta S/MAR SA derivative in which the internal AATAAA (N) polyadenylation signals were mutated to AATATTT (bottom). One of these polyadenylation signals is within the S/MAR internal transcription termination region identified by Stehle et al, Supra, 2003 FIG. 3 shows annotated maps of the interferon beta S/MAR derivative Ml 8 with flanking SD and SA sites

FIG. 4 shows annotated maps of the 805 bp (top) or 525 bp (bottom) apoB S/MAR with flanking SD and SA sites

FIG. 5 shows an annotated map of the pMAX-UCOE-coGFP P2A-PuroR-NP (pSMARt UCOE) vector FIG. 6 shows annotated maps of the NTC9385R-UCOE-CMV- coGFP P2A-PuroR -SMAR-

SV40 pA (NP-UCOE) and NTC9385R-UCOE-CMV- coGFP P2A-PuroR - SD SMAR- SA SV40 pA (NP-UCOE-SP) vectors

FIG. 7 shows annotated maps of the NTC9385R-SP-UCOE-CMV-GFP SMARter (NP- SMARter-SP) and NTC9385R-SP-UCOE-CMV-GFP CMARter (NP-CMARter-SP) vectors

FIG. 8 shows annotated maps of the NTC9385R- UCOE EF1 -coGFP SD -SMAR SA SV40 pA (NP-UCOE-EFl-SP) and NTC9385R- UCOE EFl-coGFP-SD SMAR R6K-R-OUT-SA pA (UCOE-EF1- SP-NP) vectors

FIG. 9 shows annotated maps of the NTC9385R-SP-ELE40-CMV-GFP CMARter (NP-Ele40- CMARter-SP) vector

FIG. 10 shows improved expression of established S/MAR vectors with flanking SD and SA sites. Left panel: MFI of HEK293T cells established with a S/MAR vector with and without splice junctions. The vectors contain NP bacterial region, the genomic insulator UCOE, the expression cassette GFP -2A-PuroR driven by the CMV promoter and the interferon beta S/MAR in the 3' UTR with (Nano- S/MAR-splice = NP-UCOE-SP; NTC9385R-UCOE-CMV- coGFP P2A-PuroR - SD SMAR- SA SV40 pA Figure 6) or without (NP-UCOE; NTC9385R-UCOE-CMV- coGFP P2A-PuroR -SMAR-SV40 pA, Figure 6) S/MAR flanking SD and SA sites. Right panel: the improved transcription expression is confirmed by real time PCR analysis. The expression of the transgene GFP was normalized to the housekeeping gene GAPDH.

FIG. 11 shows improved expression of established S/MAR vectors with flanking SD and SA sites. MFI of established cells (HEK293T and primary Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast) with vectors harboring different S/MARs with and without flanking SD and SA sites. Vector names are as in Figures 5, 6 and 7. FIG. 12 shows improved establishment of S/MAR vectors with flanking SD and SA sites.

Colony forming assay conducted in HEK293T with vectors harboring two different S/MARs (interferon beta S/MAR; ApoB S/MAR, 805 bp) with and without flanking SD and SA sites. Column 1 = pEPI, CMV promoter plasmid vector with a 3' UTR interferon beta S/MAR (Piechaczek, et al, Supra,

1999); Column 2 = pSMARt-UCOE (Figure 5); Column 3 = P-UCOE (Figure 6); Column 4 = P- UCOE-SP (Figure 6); Column 5 = pSMARt UCOE encoding the 805 bp ApoB MAR; Column 6 = P-SMARter-SP (Figure 7).

EXAMPLES

The methods of the current technology are further illustrated by the following examples. These are provided by way of illustration and are not intended in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Example 1 : pUC, and R6K replication origin plasmid production

RNA -OUT antibiotic free selectable marker background: Antibiotic-free selection is performed in E. coli strains containing phage lambda attachment site chromosomally integrated pCAH63-CAT RNA- IN-SacB (P5/6 6/6) as described in Williams, Supra, 2008. SacB {Bacillus subtilis levansucrase) is a counter selectable marker which is lethal to E. coli cells in the presence of sucrose. Translation of SacB from the RNA-IN-SacB transcript is inhibited by plasmid encoded RNA-OUT. This facilitates plasmid selection in the presence of sucrose, by inhibition of SacB mediated lethality.

R6K origin vector replication and production background: The R6K gamma plasmid replication origin requires a single plasmid replication protein Π that binds as a replication initiating monomer to multiple repeated 'iteron'. Use of a conditional replication origin such as R6K gamma that requires a specialized cell line for propagation adds a safety margin since the vector will not replicate if transferred to a patient's endogenous flora.

A highly minimalized R6K gamma derived replication origin (SEQ ID NO: 1) that contains core sequences required for replication was described in Williams, Supra, 2014. The NTC9385R

Nanoplasmid™ backbone including this minimalized R6K origin and the RNA-OUT AF selectable marker in the spacer region, was described in Williams, Supra, 2014.

Williams, Supra, 2014 describes host strains expressing phage HK022 attachment site integrated pL promoter heat inducible Π P42L, P106L and F107S high copy mutant replication (Rep) protein for selection and propagation of R6K origin Nanoplasmid vectors. This is an additional Nanoplasmid safety factor since R6K origin vectors can only replicate within the engineered Rep protein-expressing E. coli host strain. Shake flask production : pUC origin plasmid production was performed in E. coli strain DH5a

[F- <D80/acZAM15 A(lacZYA-arg¥) U169 recAX endkl hscIRll (rK- mK+) phoA supE λ- thi-\ gyrA96 re/Al] (Invitrogen, Carlsbad CA). R6K origin-RNA-OUT sucrose selection Nanoplasmid™ vectors was performed in host strains NTC940211 DH5a att^: :Ps/6 6 _/ e-RNA-IN- SacB, catR; att _HKt m: :pL (OLl-G to T) P42L-P106I-F107S or NTC1050811 DH5a attj.: :P ₅ / ₆ 6/6-RNA-IN- SacB, catR; attHK022: :pL (OLl-G to T) P42L-P106I-F107S P113S (P3-), SpecR StrepR; att _<p80 : :pARA-CI857ts, tetR. Shake flask production was performed using proprietary Plasmid+ shake culture medium. The seed cultures were started from glycerol stocks or colonies and streaked onto LB medium agar plates containing 50 μg/mL antibiotic (for ampR or kanR selection plasmids) or 6% sucrose (for RNA-OUT selection plasmids). The plates were grown at 30-32°C; cells were resuspended in media and used to provide approximately 2.5 OD ₆₀₀ inoculums for the 500 mL Plasmid+ shake flasks that contained 50 μg/mL antibiotic for ampR or kanR selection plasmids or 0.5% sucrose to select for RNA-OUT plasmids. Flask were grown with shaking to saturation.

Example 2: S/MAR vector construction

The pNTC-NPl, pNTC-NP2, pNTC-NP3, pNTC-NP4, pNTC-NP5, pNTC-NP6, pNTC-NP7, vectors encode the R6K gamma origin-RNA-OUT bacterial replication-selection region (SEQ ID NO:8) cloned into the polylinker region of a pUC57 based vector. The pNTC-3xCpG NP1 vector encode the 1 CpG R6K gamma origin- 2 CpG RNA-OUT bacterial replication-selection region (SEQ ID NO:9) cloned into the polylinker region of a pUC57 based vector. Each vector has different flanking restriction sites that can be used to retrofit a target vector to R6K replication-RNA-OUT selection. The 5' and 3' polylinker sequences flanking the R6K-RNA-OUT insert in the pNTC-NP 1-7 vectors and pNTC-3xCpG NPlare shown in Table 1. Table 1 : pNTC multiple cloning site flanked R6K Origin-RNA-OUT selection marker vectors

a Non-palindromic unique 3 bp NNN sticky end Dralll site (CACNNNGTG) separating R6K and RNA- OUT of sequence CACGTTGTG can be used to assemble R6K and RNA-OUT from separate pNTC vectors in directional multi-fragment ligation reactions S/MAR vector pUC origin-antibiotic selection bacterial backbone retrofits to R6K-RNA-OUT (i.e., Nanoplasmid, NP, vectors) were performed by:

1) selecting restriction sites that flank the pUC origin and antibiotic selection marker region in the target S/MAR vector; 2) Identifying a pNTC-NP compatible polylinker -R6K-RNA-OUT polylinker cassette (either pNTC- NP1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7; Table 1);

3) Excising the pUC origin antibiotic selection marker region and replacing with the selected R6K origin RNA-OUT region using the selected restriction digestion approach and standard ligase mediated cloning.

In some cases, the R6K origin and RNA-OUT units were assembled in multi-fragment ligations from separate restriction fragments using the non-palindromic Dralll linker site (see Table 1).

Example vector maps and vector characteristics of the original pUC origin- antibiotic selection marker vector (e.g. pSMARt UCOE; Figure 5) and the retrofitted R6K origin-RNA-OUT antibiotic free selection marker vector (e.g. NP-UCOE: Figure 6) are shown.

The SD -S/MAR-SA 3 ' UTRs were made as synthetic genes as follows. A splice donor site (SEQ ID NO: 25) with 5 ' Bglll and Nsil cloning sites and a 3 ' Xhol cloning site (Figure 1) was incorporated 5 ' to the S/MAR, while a splice acceptor site (SEQ ID NO: 26) with 5 ' EcoRI and 3 ' BamHI cloning sites (Figure 1) was incorporated 3 ' to the S/MAR. The genes were synthesized at Genscript (Piscataway, NJ) and cloned in place of the S/MAR in existing SMAR-NP vectors using standard restriction fragment ligation mediated cloning. For example, the interferon beta S/MAR (SEQ ID NO: 18) (e.g. NP-UCOE vector, Figure 6) was replaced with the splice donor-interferon beta S/MAR-splice acceptor (SEQ ID NO: 19) (e.g. NP-UCOE-SP vector, Figure 6; NP-UCOE-EF 1-SP, Figure 8) or splice donor-interferon beta S/MAR (-AATAAA) -splice acceptor (SEQ ID NO:20) or splice donor-interferon beta M18 S/MAR- splice acceptor (SEQ ID NO:21). Splice donor-interferon beta S/MAR (-AATAAA) was designed to remove S/MAR encoded AATAAA(N) transcription termination signals with an AATATT(T) MAR motif (Figure 2). The 805 bp ApoB S/MAR was replaced with the splice donor-805 bp ApoB S/MAR- splice acceptor version (SEQ ID NO: 22) (e.g. NP-SMARter-SP, Figure 7) while the 525 bp ApoB S/MAR was replaced with the splice donor-525 bp ApoB S/MAR-splice acceptor version (SEQ ID NO: 23) (e.g. NP-CMARter-SP, Figure 7; NP-Ele40-CMARter-SP, Figure 9). Additional NP constructs with alternative transgenes, promoters, 5 ' UTR introns, or ELE40 or UCOE elements were made by standard restriction fragment ligation mediated cloning. All constructs were verified correct by restriction digestion and sequencing. Example 3: S/MAR vector expression after transient transfection

Adherent HEK293 (human embryonic kidney) and A549 (human lung carcinoma), cell lines were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (Manassas, VA, USA). Cell lines were propagated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium/F12 containing 10% fetal bovine serum

and split (0.25% trypsin-EDTA) using Invitrogen (Carlsbad, CA, USA) reagents and conventional methodologies. For transfections, cells were plated on 24-well tissue culture dishes, plasmids were transfected into cell lines using Lipofectamine 2000 following the manufacturer's instructions

(Invitrogen). Total cellular lysates for EGFP determination were prepared by resuspending cells in cell lysis buffer (CelLytic M, Sigma, St Louis, MO, USA), lysing cells by incubating for 30 min at 37°C, followed by a freeze-thaw cycle at -80 °C. Lysed cells were clarified by centrifugation and the supematants assayed for EGFP by FLX800 microplate fluorescence reader (Bio-Tek, Winooski, VT, USA). The results are summarized in Tables 2-4.

Table 2: Transient expression of S/MAR vectors after transfection into A549 and HEK293 cell lines

a Results presented are mean fluorescent units ± standard deviation at 2 days post transfection Table 3: Transient expression of S/MAR vectors after transfection into A549 and HEK293 cell lines

a Results presented are mean fluorescent units ± standard deviation at 2 days post transfection

The results presented in Tables 2 and 3 demonstrate that with a UCOE-EF1 promoter no intron coGFP transgene transcription unit the human IFNB SMAR flanked by SD/SA improves expression in both HEK293 and A549 cell lines compared to human IFNB SMAR without SD/SA sites. Improved expression was observed in 2 SD/SA configurations (flanking SMAR, or flanking SMAR+R6K-RNA- OUT NP bacterial region). The Ml 8 SMAR (derived from human IFNB SMAR) flanked by SD/SA has high expression like the parent human IFNB SMAR flanked by SD/SA. In addition, the results in Table 3 show improved expression in UCOE-CMV promoter pCI intron coGFP transgene transcription unit (i. e., improved expression with two different promoters, with or without a 5 ' UTR encoded intron). Improved expression is also observed with different

5 polyadenylation signals (SV40 or RBG derived) or with the bacterial region cloned in the 3' UTR along with the S/MAR (e.g. UCOE-EF1 -SP-NP -Figure 8).

Table 4: Transient expression of S/MAR vectors after transfection into A549 and HEK293 cell lines

a Results presented are mean fluorescent units ± standard deviation at 2 days post transfection

10 The results presented in Table 4 further demonstrates human IFNB SMAR flanked by SD/SA improves expression in both HEK293 and A549 cell lines compared to human IFNB SMAR without SD/SA site with the UCOE-EF 1 promoter no intron coGFP transgene transcription unit and the UCOE- CMV promoter pCI intron coGFP transgene transcription unit (i.e., improved expression with two different promoters, with or without a 5' UTR encoded intron). Additionally, CMARter SMAR flanked by SD/SA has higher expression than human IFNB SMAR flanked by SD/SA. The improved performance using EF1 or CMV promoter expressed SD- interferon beta S/MAR-SA compared to interferon beta S/MAR (which contains transcription termination motifs and demonstrated transcription termination internal to the S/MAR; Figure 2, Stehle et al, Supra, 2003) teaches that the mechanism for improved performance cannot be simply splicing, since the results with the unmodified S/MAR predict that there would be no transcription of the splice acceptor site due to S/MAR internal transcription termination. Consistent with this, replacement of the S/MAR internal AATAAA(N) transcription termination signals with an AATATT(T) showed no improvement over the parent transcription terminator encoding S/MAR with EF1 or CMV promoter constructs (Tables 3 and 4: SD hlFNB SMAR- AATAAA SA versus SD hlFNB SMAR SA).

If desired, the results show that replacement of S/MAR AATAAA(N) transcription termination signals with an AATATT(T) MAR motif resulted in a functional S/MAR, demonstrating that this approach can be used to remove transcription terminator signals from S/MAR elements described in the art if desired. Alternative motifs can be substituted for AATATT(T), for example, AT rich motifs enriched in S/MARs as described by Liebeich et al., Supra, 2002. While not necessary with the interferon beta S/MAR above, the AATAAA motif replacement method allows adaption of S/MARs in the art to be utilized in 3' UTRs of the invention, without reducing expression through AATAAA motif-mediated premature transcription termination should it occur with other S/MARs.

Collectively, the results demonstrate the vectors of the current invention solve the suboptimal expression level limitation of S/MAR based vectors described in the art.

Example 4: S/MAR vector expression after episome establishment

Expression from NP-UCOE (Figure 6) and NP-UCOE-SP (Figure 6) was determined after episomal establishment in cell line HEK293. Cells were established with the standard protocols which required the application of Puromycin (0.5 μg/ml) for one week before expansion for at least 30 days

(Wong and Harbottle, 2013 Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2:e l l5). The established populations were analysed for the expression of the reporter gene GFP via FACS and the GFP RNA levels were evaluated via qPCR. The results (Figure 10) demonstrate that human IFNB SMAR flanked by SD/SA improves mRNA transcription and GFP transgene expression compared to human IFNB SMAR without SD/SA site after episomal establishment in the HEK293 cell line. A second experiment demonstrated GFP transgene expression of SD-S/MAR-SA vectors NP-UCOE-SP (Figure 6), NP-SMARter-SP (Figure 7) and NP- CMARter-SP (Figure 7) were improved compared to non SD-SA vector NP-UCOE (Figure 6) after episomal establishment in HEK293 cell line and primary Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast cells.

These results with established cell lines demonstrate the vectors of the current invention solve the gene silencing limitation of S/MAR based vectors described in the art.

Example 5: S/MAR vector expression after episome establishment

The efficacy in establishing cells was also tested in HEK293T through colony forming assay (Wong and Harbottle, Supra, 2013) with vectors harboring two different S/MARs (interferon beta S/MAR; ApoB S/MAR, 805 bp) with and without flanking SD and SA sites. The results demonstrated (Figure 12) that with both the interferon beta S/MAR and the ApoB S/MAR flanking SD and SA sites dramatically improved efficacy in generating established cells (i.e., producing the highest number of colonies).

These results demonstrate the vectors of the current invention solve the low establishment rate limitation of S/MAR based vectors described in the art.

Summary

While the above description contains many examples, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the disclosure, but rather should be viewed as an exemplification of preferred embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible.

The vector methods and compositions disclosed herein and evaluations presented above demonstrates 3' UTR SD-SMAR-SA compositions improved expression and or episomal establishment compared to non SD-SA versions. Improved performance is not S/MAR specific since performance improvement is observed with various S/MARs. Improved performance is also not vector transcription unit specific, since performance improvement is observed with SD-SMAR-SA linked to various promoters, 5' UTRs, transgenes, and polyA signals. Improved performance is observed with or without upstream introns, and with S/MARs containing transcription termination motifs that terminate transcription internal to the S/MAR. Thus, the 3 ' UTR SD-SMAR-SA vectors of the disclosure are broadly applicable to improve self-replicating non-integrative episomal vertebrate expression vector performance.

The vectors of the current technology can utilize alternative splice donor sites described in the art substituted for the pCI intron derived splice donor. Likewise, an alternative splice acceptor site described in the art could be substituted for the pCI intron derived splice acceptor. For example, splice donors and acceptors may be derived from the HTLV- IR-Rabbit β globin hybrid intron, HTLV- IR CMV hybrid intron, CMV intron, CpG free intron I 140, Human β globin Murine IgG chimeric intron, Adenovirus leader- Murine IgG chimeric intron, Rabbit β globin intron, Truncated CMV intron, CAG (Chicken β Actin-rabbit β globin) intron, CMV-Rabbit β globin hybrid intron disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2014 or other introns described in the art.

The various alternative S/MARs described in the art could also be used in the vectors of the current technology. If desired, internal transcription termination motifs can be removed by motif replacement as described herein. However, this may not be necessary with many S/MARs, since S/MAR vector performance was improved by adding flanking SD and SA sites to the Interferon B S/MAR which has internal transcription termination motifs and demonstrated S/MAR internal transcription termination.

The vectors may encode a diversity of transgenes different from the examples provided herein, for example, antigen genes for a variety of pathogens, or therapeutic genes such as hypoxia inducible factor, keratinocyte growth factor, factor IX, factor VIII, Fanconi anemia complementation group A protein, homogentisate dioxygenase, etc or polyproteins such as a reprogramming factor polyprotein. Likewise, the vectors may utilize a diversity of RNA Pol II promoters different from the CMV and elongation factor 1 (EF1) promoter examples provided herein, for example, constitutive promoters such as the chicken β -actin promoter, the β -actin promoter from other species, the

phosphoglycerokinase (PGK) promoter, the spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV) promoter, the Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) promoter, the human serum albumin (SA) promoter, the thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) promoter, the cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) promoter, etc. The vectors may also utilize combination promoters such as the chicken β -actin/CMV enhancer (CAG) promoter, the human or murine CMV -derived enhancer elements combined with the elongation factor la (EFla) promoters, CpG free versions of the human or murine CMV -derived enhancer elements combined with the elongation factor la (EFla) promoters, the albumin promoter combined with an a -fetoprotein MERII enhancer, etc, or the diversity of tissue specific or inducible promoters know in the art such as the muscle specific promoters muscle creatine kinase (MCK), and C5-12 or the liver-specific promoters apolipoprotein A-I (ApoAI), a -1 antitrypsin (AAT) promoter, AAT-TTR promoter, SERP-TTR promoter, and ApoE-hAAT, or T-cell promoters such as hTCR8.1, CD4 and WASp.

Additionally, for Nanoplasmid vectors, the Nanoplasmid bacterial region can utilize various orientations of the R6K replication origin, and the RNA selectable marker. For example, any of the eight orientations of the R6K replication origin, and the RNA selectable marker in vectors of the current technology may be used (i.e., ^Pol III replication origin RSM→; — Pol III replication origin — RSM; Pol III replication origin → RSM→; Pol III replication origin → <- RSM; <- RSM Pol III replication origin →; RSM Pol III replication origin; RSM→ Pol III replication origin →; RSM → — Pol III replication origin). The bacterial region can be encoded within the spacer region or within an intron, or within the 3 ' UTR along with the S/MAR. The R6K origin and the RNA selectable marker may be encoded separately in the spacer region, an intron, and a 3 ' UTR as disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2015.

Further, a variety of RNA selectable markers know in the art may be substituted for RNA-OUT.

Thus, the reader will see that the improved self-replicating non-integrative episomal vertebrate expression vectors of the current technology provide for an approach to improve non-integrative episomal replication plasmid encoded transgene expression. Accordingly, the scope of the disclosure should be determined not only by the embodiments illustrated, but also by the appended claims.