Protease Sequence Modification for Liquid Detergent Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Liquid washing agents containing proteases and lipases suffer from inadequate storage stability, leading to a significant loss of lipolytic activity, which compromises their cleaning efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A liquid washing agent comprising a protease with an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to a specific sequence, featuring specific amino acids at position 99, such as glutamic acid, aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamine, alanine, glycine, or serine, combined with a lipase, which enhances storage stability and maintains lipolytic activity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If liquid washing agents contain protease and lipase, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but storage stability deteriorates and lipolytic activity is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidstorage stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the amino acid sequence of the protease at position 99 to specific amino acids (glutamic acid, aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamine, alanine, glycine, or serine). This parameter change in the protease structure prevents it from inactivating the lipase, thereby maintaining storage stability and lipolytic activity while preserving cleaning efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If protease is added to liquid washing agent, then proteolytic activity is improved, but lipase inactivation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproteolytic activityVSAvoidlipase inactivation
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the amino acid parameter at position 99 of the protease to specific residues that do not cause lipase inactivation. This selective parameter change allows the protease to maintain its proteolytic activity while eliminating the harmful side effect of lipase inactivation, enabling stable coexistence of both enzymes in the washing agent.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solution results in a stable washing agent with improved cleaning efficiency, particularly for protease-sensitive stains, even at low temperatures, with sustained lipolytic activity after storage, maintaining effective proteolytic and lipolytic activity for extended periods.

Implementation Method 1

Proteases of the subtilisin type are preferably used for washing and cleaning agents... catalyzing their hydrolysis

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydrolysis: Hydrolysis

Implementation Method 2

A lipase is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of ester bonds in lipid substrates, in particular in fats and oils. Lipases counteract fat residues in the washing process, catalyzing their hydrolysis (lipolysis).

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydrolysis: Hydrolysis

Data Source

PatentUS20240018447A1Storage-stable liquid detergent or cleaning agent containing protease and lipase
Publication Date: 2024.01.18 BASF SE

AI summary

The object is to improve the storage stability of a liquid washing or cleaning agent comprising a protease and lipase with regard to lipolytic activity. This is achieved through the use of a protease comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% identical to the amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO. 1 and that has the amino acid glutamic acid (E) or aspartic acid (D) or the amino acid asparagine (N) or glutamine (Q) or the amino acid alanine (A) or glycine (G) or serine (S) at position 99 in the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO. 1.