Polypeptides Having Protease Activity

Abstract

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having protease activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides in e.g. animal feed and detergents.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . An isolated polypeptide having protease activity, selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a polypeptide having at least 85% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 and/or SEQ ID NO:4;   (b) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under high stringency conditions, or very high stringency conditions with
 (i) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, and/or 
 (ii) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, or 
 (iii) the full-length complementary strand of (i) or (ii); 
   (c) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide having at least 86% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3; and/or   (d) a variant comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion of one or more (several) amino acids of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2; and/or SEQ ID NO:4.   
     
     
         27 . A composition comprising the polypeptide of  claim 26 . 
     
     
         28 . A detergent composition comprising at least one polypeptide of  claim 26  and a surfactant. 
     
     
         29 . An animal feed additive comprising
 (a) at least one polypeptide of  claim 26 ; and   (b) at least one fat-soluble vitamin, and/or   (c) at least one water-soluble vitamin, and/or   (d) at least one trace mineral.   
     
     
         30 . The animal feed additive of  claim 29 , which further comprises one or more amylases, phytases, xylanases, galactanases, alpha-galactosidases, proteases, phospholipases; beta-glucanases, or any mixture thereof. 
     
     
         31 . An animal feed having a crude protein content of 50 to 800 g/kg and comprising at least one polypeptide of  claim 26 . 
     
     
         32 . A method for improving the nutritional value of an animal feed, comprising adding at least one polypeptide of  claim 26  to the feed. 
     
     
         33 . A method for the treatment of proteins, comprising adding at least one polypeptide of  claim 26  to at least one protein or protein source. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one protein source comprises soybean. 
     
     
         35 . An isolated polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of  claim 26 . 
     
     
         36 . A nucleic acid construct or expression vector comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 35  operably linked to one or more (several) control sequences that direct the production of the polypeptide in an expression host cell. 
     
     
         37 . A recombinant expression host cell comprising a polynucleotide of  claim 35  operably linked to one or more control sequences that direct the production of the polypeptide. 
     
     
         38 . A method of producing a polypeptide, comprising:
 (a) cultivating a host cell of  claim 37  under conditions conducive for production of the polypeptide; and   (b) recovering the polypeptide.