Acid-Stable S8 Proteases for Soybean Meal Digestion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The inefficient digestion of soybean meal in the gastrointestinal tracts of mono-gastric animals, such as pigs and poultry, results in low apparent ileal nitrogen digestibility, limiting protein uptake and animal performance improvement.
Innovation Solution
Development of isolated polypeptides with protease activity, specifically S8 proteases, which are acid-stable and active across a broad pH range, enhancing protein digestion and ileal nitrogen digestibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional proteases are used in animal feed, then protein digestion is attempted, but the proteases are not acid-stable and cannot survive in the gastric environment, resulting in low ileal nitrogen digestibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the protease enzyme's structural and functional parameters to achieve acid stability. Specifically, the protease is engineered to maintain its catalytic activity and structural integrity across a broad pH range including the acidic gastric environment (pH 2-3), transforming it from a conventional protease that degrades in acid to an acid-stable protease that survives and functions effectively in the gastric environment, thereby improving ileal nitrogen digestibility
2Productivity
If proteases with broad pH activity are developed, then protein digestion efficiency improves, but the complexity of characterizing and validating the protease increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the validation process into distinct functional modules: (1) in vitro proteolytic activity assessment using standardized substrates and assays, (2) in vivo performance evaluation through controlled animal feeding trials measuring ileal nitrogen digestibility and growth performance, and (3) stability testing across different pH conditions. This segmented approach allows systematic evaluation of protease candidates without overwhelming complexity, enabling progressive validation from basic activity to physiological performance
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 use of these polypeptides improves protein digestibility and animal performance by increasing ileal nitrogen digestibility and body weight gain.
Implementation Method 1
The present invention provides isolated or purified polypeptides having protease activity... a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity, such as at least 95% sequence identity, to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1
Implementation Method 2
Protein digestion by a protease may occur along the entire digestive tract... improving the digestibility of protein
Implementation Method 3
proteases which are highly acid stable that can survive in the gastric environment... the stomach is strongly acidic with a pH potentially as low as 2-3
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having protease activity, animal feed additives comprising said polypeptides improving the nutritional value of an animal feed by adding the protease. invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing the polypeptides.