Acid-Stable Protease Polypeptides for Animal Feed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current proteases used in animal feed are not efficiently digested in the acidic stomach environment and do not retain activity after steam treatment, leading to suboptimal protein digestibility in mono-gastric animals like pigs and poultry.
Innovation Solution
Development of isolated polypeptides with at least 80% sequence identity to the S1 protease from Saccharopolyspora erythraea, which are acid-stable and retain activity across a broad pH range, including after steam treatment, for use in animal feed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current proteases are used in animal feed, then they can perform proteolytic function, but they are not stable in acidic stomach environment and lose activity after steam treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the protease's pH stability characteristics through molecular engineering. The engineered proteases are designed to maintain structural integrity and catalytic activity across a broader pH range (pH 2-10), specifically enhancing resistance to gastric acid (pH 1.5-3.5) while retaining intestinal activity (pH 6-8). This resolves the contradiction by changing the protease's physiological parameter response to environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite protease structures by combining stability-enhancing amino acid sequences with catalytic domains. The engineered proteases incorporate stabilizing elements that form a more robust molecular composite, resistant to both acid denaturation and thermal degradation from steam pelleting, while maintaining proteolytic function.
2Productivity
If proteases are included in pelleted animal feed, then they can improve protein digestion, but they are inactivated by steam treatment during pelleting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by engineering the protease's thermal stability profile. The modified proteases exhibit enhanced resistance to high-temperature steam treatment (typically 80-100°C during pelleting) through structural modifications that prevent thermal denaturation, allowing the enzyme to survive the pelleting process and remain active in the animal's digestive tract.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-engineering the protease's thermal stability before the steam treatment occurs during feed pelleting. The molecular modifications are made in advance to ensure the protease can withstand the upcoming thermal stress, rather than attempting to protect or replace the enzyme after treatment.
3Productivity
If proteases are used to improve protein digestion in mono-gastric animals, then they can enhance nutrient absorption, but they are not efficiently digested in the acidic stomach environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by fundamentally altering the protease's pH stability parameters. The engineered enzymes maintain their primary structure, secondary structure, and catalytic composition stability across the gastric pH range (1.5-3.5), preventing acid-induced denaturation and ensuring the protease reaches the intestine in an active state to improve nutrient absorption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The polypeptides exhibit enhanced proteolytic activity and stability in the digestive tract of animals, improving protein digestibility and nutritional value of animal feed.
Implementation Method 1
isolated polypeptides having protease activity... exhibiting enhanced proteolytic activity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having protease activity, and the use of isolated polypeptides having protease activity in animal feed. It also relates to the use of isolated nucleic acid sequences encoding the proteases in the recombinant production of isolated polypeptides having protease activity and isolated nucleic acid sequences encoding the proteases. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells, including plant and animal cells, comprising the nucleic acid sequences, as well as methods for producing and using the proteases, particularly using the proteases in animal feed.