RECOMBINANTLY PRODUCED NEUTRAL PROTEASE ORIGINATING FROM PAENIBACILLUS POLYMYXA

Abstract

The present disclosure provides the sequence of a Paenibacillus polymyxa preproenzyme which is the precursor of a neutral protease, expression thereof in a transformed host organism, and methods for production of the neutral protease, by recombinant means. Further, use of the recombinantly produced neutral protease is disclosed in the field of cell biology, particularly for the purpose of tissue dissociation. The disclosure also includes blends with other proteases. Further disclosed are nucleotide sequences encoding the neutral protease.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP2013/064271 filed Jul. 5, 2013, which claims priority to European Application No. 12175563.1 filed Jul. 9, 2012, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present disclosure provides the sequence of a Paenibacillus polymyxa preproenzyme which is the precursor of a neutral protease, expression thereof in a transformed host organism, and methods for production of the neutral protease, by recombinant means. Further, use of the recombinantly produced neutral protease is disclosed in the field of cell biology, particularly for the purpose of tissue dissociation. The disclosure also includes blends with other proteases. Further disclosed are nucleotide sequences encoding the neutral protease, as well as fragments thereof.

[0003] The present invention is directed to the means for providing a recombinantly expressed and enzymatically active neutral protease from Paenibacillus polymyxa, also known as Dispase®. Particularly, an amino acid sequence is provided which is suited for large-scale production by way of recombinant expression thereof, specifically and with particular advantage in transformed Bacillus species serving as a recombinant host strain. In a specific embodiment, recombinantly expressed Paenibacillus polymyxa neutral protease is secreted into liquid culture medium and purified therefrom.

BACKGROUND

[0004] From filtrates or supernatants of Paenibacillus polymyxa cultures (P. polymyxa; formerly also known as Bacillus polymyxa or B. polymyxa, all these taxonomic names are used synonymously herein), a neutral protease was isolated and characterized. In the more recent literature the neutral protease is often referred to as "Dispase®", which is a registered trademark of Godo Shusei Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. Owing to fibronectinase and type IV collagenase proteolytic activity, technical utility of Dispase® is known particularly in the field of animal cell or tissue culture.

[0005] Thus, dissociation of a tissue (including cell clumps or cell aggregates) into cell layers or even suspensions of single cells is frequently performed with the activity of this enzyme, either with Dispase® alone or with Dispase® as a component of blends, i.e. combined other proteolytic enzymes, specifically Collagenases, e.g. as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,741.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,954 discloses a neutral protease from B. polymyxa strain having the accession number ATCC 21993 (in the document also referred to as FERM-P No. 412). The document particularly describes culturing of the bacterial strain under aerobic conditions in a complex liquid medium (culture broth) containing a carbon source, a nitrogen source and inorganic salts. The proteolytic activity present in the culture broth was monitored during cultivation, indicating the amount of neutral protease secreted by the cells into the liquid supernatant. When the maximum activity was reached the culture was harvested and particulate components including bacterial cells were separated from the supernatant by gel filtration, followed by concentration of the filtrate under reduced pressure. Following a not further specified fractionation step with isopropanol, a preparation representing 70% of the total proteolytic activity detected in the culture broth was obtained. Other methods of protease enrichment taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,954 include salting out with ammonium sulfate and precipitation with methanol, ethanol and acetone, each resulting in a crude preparation. Subsequently, further purification steps were applied, ultimately leading to a purified preparation. By way of ultracentrifugation analysis a molecular weight of 35,900 Daltons (Da) was determined, and a number of other biochemical and biophysical parameters were examined. However, no unequivocal data were supplied clarifying whether the disclosed preparation contained a homogeneously purified single protease or a mixture of different proteins.

[0007] Stenn, K. S., et al., J. Invest. Dermatol. 93 (1989) 287-290 disclose an analysis of the substrate specificity of a neutral protease (=Dispase®). In addition, a further biochemical characterization of the neutral protease is presented, using purified material derived from the culture filtrate of B. polymyxa, and making reference to U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,954. Notably, an SDS PAGE gel representing a sample of 600 μg of protein of a commercially available Dispase® preparation is shown in the document. The Coomassie Blue-stained gel presents a thin major band migrating at 41 kDa, but also at least two faint bands migrating between 30 and 20 kDa, and a further faint band migrating between 20 and 14.4 kDa.

[0008] Using B. polymyxa strain 72 of Murao, S., et al. (Agric. Biol. Chem. 47 (1979) 941-947) the authors of Takekawa, S., et al., J. Bacteriology 173 (1991) 6820-6825 describe the cloning in E. coli of a genomic B. polymyxa DNA (SEQ ID NO:1) comprising a nucleotide sequence with an open reading frame apparently encoding the preproenzyme with 590 amino acids (SEQ ID NO:2; primary translation product, precursor molecule prior to secretion) of a neutral protease. Based on the amino acid composition the molecular weight of the conceptual mature (processed) secreted protein comprising 304 amino acids was calculated to be 32,477 Da. Neutral protease expressed in E. coli from a genomic B. polymyxa fragment and analyzed from the supernatant of disrupted transformed E. coli cells was found to migrate at about 35 kDa in SDS PAGE gels.

[0009] For comparison, Takekawa, S., et al. (supra) also purified B. polymyxa extracellular neutral protease from culture fluid. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified neutral protease was determined. Notably, the first three amino acid residues in the B. polymyxa N-terminal sequence of Ala Thr Gly Thr Gly Lys Gly Val Leu Gly Asp Xaa Lys Ser Phe (SEQ ID NO:4) differ from the predicted amino acid sequence comprised in SEQ ID NO:2 at the positions 287-301 which were found to be Asn Glu Ala Thr Gly Lys Gly Val Leu Gly Asp Ser Lys Ser Phe. The reason for this discrepancy remained unclear and was not elucidated further.

[0010] The authors of the present disclosure set out to produce a transformed microbial host strain recombinantly expressing neutral protease from Paenibacillus polymyxa. Unexpectedly it turned out that the sequences disclosed by Takekawa, S., et al. (supra) were not suited to construct a suitable expression strain. Even more surprising, DNA isolated from B. polymyxa ATCC 21993 encoded an amino acid sequence of a primary translation product for a neutral protease which not only comprised 592 amino acids but also showed alterations at several position in the encoded polypeptide, when compared with previously published sequences. A further surprising effect was that Bacillus amyloliquefaciens is a particularly suited host organism for recombinant production of the neutral protease originating from Paenibacillus polymyxa.

SUMMARY

[0011] A first aspect of all embodiments as disclosed herein is a method for recombinantly producing a neutral protease, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing in an expression vector a DNA with a sequence encoding a preproenzyme according to SEQ ID NO:5, and transforming a host organism with the expression vector, thereby obtaining a transformed host organism, wherein the host organism is a gram-positive prokaryotic species; followed by (b) expressing the DNA in the transformed host organism, wherein the transformed host organism secretes the neutral protease; followed by (c) isolating the secreted neutral protease; thereby recombinantly producing the neutral protease.

[0012] A second aspect of all embodiments as disclosed herein is a neutral protease obtained by performing a method for recombinantly producing a neutral protease as disclosed herein.

[0013] A third aspect of all embodiments as disclosed herein is a method of isolating living cells from animal tissue in vitro, comprising the steps of (a) providing a recombinantly produced neutral protease obtained by performing a method according to any of the claims 1 to 8, and (b) incubating the tissue in vitro with the neutral protease of step (a), wherein protein components of the extracellular matrix of the tissue are proteolytically degraded, and wherein a layer of cells or a suspension of individual living cells is obtained, thereby isolating living cells from animal tissue in vitro.

[0014] A fourth aspect of all embodiments as disclosed herein is the use of a neutral protease obtained by performing a method for recombinantly producing a neutral protease as disclosed herein, the use of the neutral protease being the isolation of living cells from animal tissue in vitro.

[0015] A fifth aspect of all embodiments as disclosed herein is a kit of parts comprising in a sealed compartment a lyophilizate of a neutral protease obtained by performing a method for recombinantly producing a neutral protease as disclosed herein.

[0016] A sixth aspect of all embodiments as disclosed herein is a method for making a blend of a plurality of proteases, comprising the steps of (a) providing a recombinantly produced neutral protease obtained by performing a method obtained performing a method for recombinantly producing a neutral protease as disclosed herein, and (b) mixing the neutral protease of step (a) with a further protease.

[0017] A seventh aspect of all embodiments as disclosed herein is a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of position 289 to position 592 of SEQ ID NO:5, the nucleotide sequence being selected from the group consisting of (a) a nucleotide sequence having the sequence of position 898 to position 1811 in SEQ ID NO:6; (b) nucleotide sequences derived from the nucleotide sequence of position 898 to position 1811 of SEQ ID NO:6 as a result of the degenerated code.

[0018] An eighth aspect of all embodiments as disclosed herein is a vector containing a nucleotide sequence as disclosed herein.

[0019] A ninth aspect of all embodiments as disclosed herein is a transformed prokaryotic Gram-positive host organism containing at least one vector as disclosed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0020] FIG. 1 Alignment of the published amino acid sequence of Takekawa, S., et al., J. Bacteriology 173 (1991) 6820-6825 (SEQ ID NO:3; "Seq-1" in the Figure) with the amino acid sequence originating from P. polymyxa ATCC 21993 (SEQ ID NO:5; "Seq-2" in the Figure), disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Dispase® (=neutral protease originating from Paenibacillus polymyxa, P. polymyxa) is a metalloenzyme which is classified as an amino-endo peptidase capable of cleaving fibronectin, collagen IV, and collagen I, but the latter apparently to a lesser extent. P. polymyxa neutral protease is useful for tissue dissociation (=disaggregation) and particularly for subcultivation procedures since it does not damage cell membranes. Since P. polymyxa neutral protease according to the present disclosure can be produced from a bacterial source, it is free of mycoplasma and animal virus contamination. It is very stable with respect to temperature, pH and interference by serum components. P. polymyxa neutral protease activity is greatly reduced by dilution, allowing suspension cultures to grow without difficulty. P. polymyxa neutral protease can even been added to cell suspension cultures to prevent unwanted cell clumping.

[0022] P. polymyxa neutral protease prepared recombinantly according to the present disclosure is useful to prepare many types of cells for culture. Thus, P. polymyxa neutral protease as provided herewith is a rapid, effective, but gentle agent for separating even cell layers, that is to say intact epidermis from the dermis and intact epithelial sheets in culture from the substratum. In both cases, it affects separation by cleaving extracellular matrix proteins in the basement membrane zone region while preserving the viability of the epithelial cells. P. polymyxa neutral protease according to the present disclosure and used as sole protease is useful for detaching epidermal cells as confluent, intact sheets from the surface of culture dishes without dissociating the cells. Such a procedure paves the way for the use for culture and even transplantation of skin epithelial cell sheets detached from the culture substrate by P. polymyxa neutral protease. Also, P. polymyxa neutral protease is useful for the harvest and transfer of normal diploid cells and cell lines. Further applications for tissue dissociation make use of blends of P. polymyxa neutral protease and a further protease such as a collagenase.

[0023] According to the surprising findings of the authors of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for recombinantly producing a neutral protease, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing in an expression vector a DNA with a sequence encoding a preproenzyme according to SEQ ID NO:5, and transforming a host organism with the expression vector, thereby obtaining a transformed host organism, wherein the host organism is a gram-positive prokaryotic species; followed by (b) expressing the DNA in the transformed host organism, wherein the transformed host organism secretes the neutral protease; followed by (c) isolating the secreted neutral protease; thereby recombinantly producing the neutral protease. More specifically, the DNA sequence originates from Paenibacillus polymyxa ATCC 21993.

[0024] The sequence encoding the preproenzyme according to SEQ ID NO:5 can be expressed in any suitable host organism known to the skilled person. A particular host organism is a gram-positive bacterium, specifically a species selected from the group consisting of Bacillus, Clostridium, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. A very suitable way of recombinantly producing the neutral protease encoded by SEQ ID NO:5 makes use of the species Bacillus amyloliquefaciens as transformed host organism.

[0025] In a specific embodiment, the step of expressing the DNA in the transformed host organism is performed by culturing the transformed host organism in a liquid medium, wherein the transformed host organism secretes the neutral protease into the liquid medium. Subsequently, the secreted neutral protease can be isolated from the liquid medium.

[0026] Further advantage can be achieved by using in any of the methods for recombinantly producing a neutral protease a host organism which is deficient for extracellular proteases. Examples for B. amyloliquefaciens extracellular proteases are Npr and Apr, well known to the skilled person.

[0027] In an exemplary workflow for tissue dissociation, P. polymyxa neutral protease recombinantly produced according to the present disclosure is provided as a lyophilizate. In a first step, the lyophilizate is dissolved in a physiologically suited buffer, e.g. in PBS (phosphate buffered saline) which is free of Mg²+ and Ca²+ ions. The P. polymyxa neutral protease solution is then sterilized, e.g. by way of filtration through a filter membrane (e.g. 0.22 μm pore size). A sample of living tissue is obtained, i.e. removed from the animal. Alternatively, a culture vessel with adherent cells or a culture vessel with cell aggegates is provided (the cells are also referred to as "tissue" herein). In a particular embodiment, the tissue is fragmented by mechanical means (e.g. using scissors or a scalpel), and the fragments are washed in sterile PBS. Subsequently, the fragments are incubated in pre-warmed P. polymyxa neutral protease solution, whereby the fragments are covered by the solution. Incubation with P. polymyxa neutral protease is typically performed at physiological temperature, particularly at 37° C.

[0028] The time needed for the desired (i.e. the degree or extent of) tissue dissociation is usually determined empirically, wherein typically P. polymyxa neutral protease concentration in the solution and/or incubation time are varied. Incubation time in P. polymyxa neutral protease solution can be several hours without adverse effects on the cells. The incubated tissue can optionally be agitated gently. If necessary, dispersed cells can be separated from still existing aggergates by way of passing the obtained cell suspension through a sterile mesh or grid. Decanting is also a method to obtain dissociated cells. Further techniques are known to the skilled person, particularly to remove cell layers which are detached from tissue underneath by incubation with P. polymyxa neutral protease. Fresh Dispase solution may be added if further disaggregation is desired.

[0029] Dissociated cells or cell layers can be pelleted, enzyme solution can be removed by decanting, or the P. polymyxa neutral protease solution is diluted with cell culture medium, in order to inhibit further proteolytic activity. Other methods to do so are possible. Cells obtained by the above workflow can be plated and cultured using standard procedures.

[0030] Thus, the present disclosure further provides a method to isolate living cells from animal tissue in vitro, comprising the steps of (a) providing a recombinantly produced neutral protease obtained by performing a method according to any of the claims 1 to 8, and (b) incubating the tissue in vitro with the neutral protease of step (a), wherein protein components of the extracellular matrix of the tissue are proteolytically degraded, and wherein a cell layer or a suspension of individual cells is obtained. Specifically, the animal tissue origins from a vertebrate animal, more specifically from an animal species selected from mouse, guinea pig, hamster, rat, dog, sheep, goat, pig, bovine, horse, a primate species, and human.

[0031] In another embodiment, a method to isolate living cells from animal tissue in vitro comprises the use of a protease blend which includes a P. polymyxa neutral protease recombinantly produced as disclosed herein. The blend may, by way of example comprise a further neutral protease such as thermolysin. Further, blends of P. polymyxa neutral protease with a collagenase provide great advantage for tissue dissociation.

[0032] In a specific embodiment, P. polymyxa neutral protease recombinantly produced as disclosed herein or a blend of proteases including P. polymyxa neutral protease recombinantly produced as disclosed herein is provided as a lyophilizate, i.e. as a freeze-dried preparation. Such a preparation can be stored for an extended amount of time.

[0033] Further, there is provided a kit of parts comprising in a sealed compartment, such as a bottle, a lyophilizate of a neutral protease obtained by performing a method for recombinantly producing a neutral protease, as disclosed herein. The kit may contain in a separate sealed compartment a lyophilized preparation of a collagenase. The kit may also contain in a separate sealed compartment a lyophilized preparation of a thermolysin. Another embodiment is a kit comprising in a sealed compartment, such as a bottle, a lyophilizate of a neutral protease obtained by performing a method for recombinantly producing a neutral protease, as disclosed herein, wherein the neutral protease is blended with a further protease such as (but not limited to) a collagenase and/or thermolysin.

[0034] The following examples and the sequence listing are provided to aid the understanding of the present invention, the true scope of which is set forth in the appended claims. It is understood that modifications can be made in the procedures set forth without departing from the spirit of the teachings disclosed herein.

Example 1

Construction of Expression Constructs (DNA)

[0035] Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and several synthesized single- and/or double-stranded DNA oligonucleotides representing subsequences of the desired coding and non-coding genomic DNA strands, artificial gene sequences were generated. To start with, partially overlapping pairs of oligonucleotides representing fragments of opposite strands were hybridized with template DNA, and double-stranded DNA molecules were generated by polymerase-mediated strand-extension, and subsequent PCR amplification. Further DNA molecules were created synthetically. All sequences of artificially generated DNAs were verified by sequencing.

Example 2

Expression Constructs Using Published Sequence Information

[0036] A first attempt to express P. poymyxa neutral protease was based on the disclosure of Takekawa, S., et al., J. Bacteriology 173 (1991) 6820-6825. In a first step, the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, specifically the subsequence of CDS (343) . . . (2115) corresponding to the open reading frame encoding SEQ ID NO:2 was adapted by changing the codon usage. While the encoded amino acid sequence remained unchanged, neutral mutations optimizing the open reading frame for expression in Bacillus subtilis were introduced. An artificial DNA with the reading frame encoding SEQ ID NO:2 was created and synthesized. It encoded the P. polymyxa amino acid sequence of the preproenzyme with 590 amino acids, i.e. including the signal sequence and the propeptide. In the expression construct a B. subtilis-specific ribosome binding site was introduced upstream of the open reading frame. The DNA construct was cloned in an expression vector which provides a growth phase-specific promoter driving transcription in B. subtilis in the stationary phase of growth in liquid culture. The resulting selectable and replication-competent expression plasmid was pLE2D01nprPp.

[0037] A derivative was constructed by fusing three Glycines and six Histidines to the C-terminus of the amino acid sequence of the preproenzyme resulting in an encoded polypeptide with 599 amino acids with six terminal Histidines. The resulting selectable and replication-competent expression plasmid was pLE2D01nprHisPp.

[0038] Transformed B. subtilis strains were generated and expression experiments under standard conditions were made; i.e. conditions were applied in case of other expression targets have shown to be permissive with expression and secretion of detectable quantities of target protein.

[0039] Surprisingly, both expression plasmids, pLE2D01nprPp and pLE2D01nprHisPp, lead to negative results. Both attempts to express and secrete P. polymyxa neutral protease were unsuccessful.

[0040] To exclude any negative impact of the promoter sequence, although such an effect was thought unlikely, the promoter in each of the two above plasmids was exchanged by another promoter driving expression dependent on the addition of a specific inductor compound to the culture. The resulting expression plasmids were designated pLE2E01nprPp and pLE2E01nprHisPp. Expression experiments were made including the step of addition of the inductor. As a result, these modifications did not lead to a change. Both further attempts to express and secrete P. polymyxa neutral protease were unsuccessful.

[0041] In a further attempt, the B. subtilis specific ribosome binding site was exchanged by the native P. polymyxa ribosome binding site of the originally described gene (SEQ ID NO:1). The resulting expression plasmids were designated pLE2D01nprRBSPp and pLE2D01nprRBSHisPp. Again, the negative results could not be reversed. Both additional attempts to express and secrete P. polymyxa neutral protease were unsuccessful.

[0042] In addition, mutation experiments were made altering/deleting amino acid positions relating to the sequence discrepancy shown in SEQ ID NO:3, i.e. by the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the native neutral protease isolated from Paenibacillus polymyxa culture supernatant.

[0043] Surprisingly and unexpectedly, none of the above straightforward attempts to express P. polymyxa neutral protease in Bacillus subtilis lead to protease activity which was above background, compared to a B. subtilis control strain transformed with an "empty" expression vector, i.e. with a vector comprising the same features as described above but without any inserted desired coding sequence. Identical results were obtained, when B. amyloliquefaciens was used as expression host.

[0044] It is noted in this regard that the sequences published by Takekawa, S., et al., J. Bacteriology 173 (1991) 6820-6825 were cloned and selected in E. coli, that is to say in a microbial organism which was unrelated to P. polymyxa , taxonomically and in evolutionary terms. One may speculate that passage though such a distinct host might have lead to alterations of the foreign DNA. Also, Takekawa, S., et al. (supra) characterized neutral protease expression in E. coli using cellular extracts. However, positive clones were initially identified based on a halo on skim milk agar plates, hinting at some extracellular protease activity at an initial phase of the study.

[0045] The exact reason has not been found to explain why the published sequence of Takekawa, S., et al. (supra) does not lead to detectable expression of neutral protease, at least as far as the B. subtilis system is concerned. Nevertheless, a further attempt was made to elucidate whether the sequence information documented by Takekawa S. et al. (supra) might not represent the true Paenibacillus polymyxa gene.

Example 3

Sequencing Results for Paenibacillus polymyxa Strain ATCC 21993

[0046] Total genomic DNA isolated from Paenibacillus polymyxa strain ATCC 21993 was isolated and the gene encoding the neutral protease was amplified using PCR. The amplified DNA was sequenced. Surprisingly, several differences on the DNA sequence level were found, the differences giving rise to changes in the amino acid sequence which is encoded. The amino acid sequence of the neutral protease gene of the ATCC 21993 strain is given in SEQ ID NO:5.

[0047] On the amino acid sequence level an alignment with the published sequence of Takekawa, S., et al. (supra) is presented in FIG. 1. The alignment shows a number of amino acid exchanges and even a deletion and an insertion. 17 of the amino acid exchanges could be of higher-order structural relevance since in these cases the amino acids are not similar (size, charge) but differ significantly.

[0048] Notably, the amino acid sequence determined in the present study contained the N-terminus determined earlier by Takegawa S.et al. (supra). Thus positions 289 to 303 of SEQ ID NO:5 correspond to the previously determined N-terminal sequence of SEQ ID NO:4. According to the present sequencing data, following a proteolytic maturation process including N-terminal proteolytic processing during the course of secretion, the extracellular neutral protease derived from the ATCC 21993 strain is the polypeptide given by the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 from position 289 to position 592.

Example 4

Expression Constructs Using Published Sequence Information

[0049] The DNA encoding the neutral protease was isolated from Paenibacillus polymyxa strain ATCC 21993 as described in Example 3. Based on the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 a DNA sequence for expression in B. subtilis encoding the neutral protease was devised and cloned in different expression vectors, in analogy to Example 2. The DNA sequence of a cloned fragment including the coding sequence of the of the neutral protease (preproenzyme) of said Paenibacillus polymyxa strain ATCC 21993 is presented as SEQ ID NO:6. An exemplary construct encoded the P. polymyxa amino acid sequence of the preproenzyme including the signal sequence and the propeptide. The DNA construct was cloned in an expression vector which provides a growth phase-specific promoter driving transcription in B. subtilis in the stationary phase of growth in liquid culture. The resulting selectable and replication-competent expression plasmid was pLE2D01DisnatPp.

[0050] It was further attempted to construct a derivative by fusing a tag sequence of three consecutive Glycines followed by six Histidines to the C-terminus of the amino acid sequence of the preproenzyme. Respective transformation experiments yielded clones which on milk agar plates produced halos indicative of protease secretion. Thus, recombinant production of the neutral protease is possible in B. subtilis.

[0051] Transformed B. subtilis strains were characterized further. Sequencing of expression plasmids surprisingly revealed that all these clones contained neutral protease-specific open reading frames in which the added Histidine tag was lost. In the particular B. subtilis expression system the His-tag structure appended to the C-terminus could have been incompatible with expression and/or secretion of the proteolytically active recombinant neutral protease enzyme. Thus, this attempt was not pursued further and no clones actively expressing a recombinant His-tagged neutral protease were generated in the B. subtilis system.

[0052] However, the expression plasmid pLE2D01DisnatPp was transformed into several Bacillus species, including not only Bacillus subtilis but also Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Control transformations were made with "empty" expression vectors, as described before.

[0053] Surprisingly, in liquid cultures transformed Bacillus amyloliquefaciens host strains secreted particularly high amounts of neutral protease into the medium while under the same conditions no significant neutral protease activities in the culture supernatant were observed with Bacillus subtilis. The effect did not seem to be dependent on the composition of the liquid medium. The reason for this unexpected observation was not elucidated.

[0054] Particular transformed Bacillus subtilis host strains used for transformation contained loss-of-function mutations in one or more endogenous genes encoding an extracellular (secreted) protease. Such strains are considered to be advantageous, particularly in the present case when the desired target protein to be recombinantly expressed and secreted is a protease itself. Particularly in the transformed B. subtilis host protease genes selected from AprE, NprE, Epr, and a combination thereof were mutated. In addition, strains were obtained in which all three of these genes were mutated.

[0055] With respect to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, advantageous mutations in the host strain included the endogenous extracellular protease genes Npr and Apr. Respective transformants werde generated including one or both of the two aforementioned protease loss-of-function mutations.

Example 5

Determination of Proteolytic Activity in Liquid Medium

[0056] The EnzChek® Protease Assay Kits were used (Invitrogen, E6638). The direct fluorescence-based assay detects metallo-, serine, acid and sulfhydryl proteases. The assay kit contains casein derivatives that are labeled with the pH-insensitive greenfluorescent BODIPY® FL (E6638) dye, resulting in almost total quenching of the conjugate's fluorescence. Protease-catalyzed hydrolysis releases fluorescent BODIPY FL dye-labeled peptides. The accompanying increase in fluorescence, which can be measured with a spectrofluorometer, minifluorometer or microplate reader, is proportional to protease activity.

[0057] Control experiments were made with samples in which no neutral protease was expressed ("null samples"). Additional controls were made with samples, including "null samples" to which a pre-determined amount of commercially available neutral protease (Dispase®, Roche Diagnostics Manheim, Germany, Cat. No. 04942086001) was added.

Sequence CWU 1

1

712418DNABacillus polymyxa 72misc_featurePaenibacillus polymyxa npr gene for extracellular neutral protease, "extracellular neutral protease" genomic sequence disclosed by Takekawa,S., Uozumi,N., Tsukagoshi, N. and Udaka,S. (J. Bacteriol. 173 (21), 6820-6825 (1991)) Genbank D00861.1 1gatcttctcg tccgtcattc tctgtgctaa tatcagagcc agatgatggg agttcgaaaa 60atcatctttt gttttttttg cataaggcaa cttttttcca ttatccgctt ttatccacta 120tctttttata cgacaggaag ggaggggttt gttacctttt taggctactt gcttcaaatg 180cagtaccctt ttttcacgca cgcttcatga aaaacacttc ggtatttctc ttcatgttcc 240attcttctat tccagacgac aacacgacct acataaatgg cgtaatgcct tattcaaagc 300aggataattc gtcctgacat taatcgagga gagtgaattt tt atg aaa aaa gta 354 Met Lys Lys Val 1 tgg ttt tcg ctt ctt gga gga gct atg tta tta ggg tct gtg gcg tct 402Trp Phe Ser Leu Leu Gly Gly Ala Met Leu Leu Gly Ser Val Ala Ser 5 10 15 20 ggt gca tct gcg gag agt tcc gtt tcg gga cca gca cag ctt aca ccg 450Gly Ala Ser Ala Glu Ser Ser Val Ser Gly Pro Ala Gln Leu Thr Pro 25 30 35 acc ttc cac acc gag caa tgg aaa gct cct tcc tcg gta tca ggg gac 498Thr Phe His Thr Glu Gln Trp Lys Ala Pro Ser Ser Val Ser Gly Asp 40 45 50 gac att gta tgg agc tat ttg aat cga caa aag aaa tcg tta ctg ggt 546Asp Ile Val Trp Ser Tyr Leu Asn Arg Gln Lys Lys Ser Leu Leu Gly 55 60 65 gtg gat agc tcc agt gta cgt gaa caa ttc cga atc gtt gat cgc aca 594Val Asp Ser Ser Ser Val Arg Glu Gln Phe Arg Ile Val Asp Arg Thr 70 75 80 agc gac aag tcc ggt gtg agc cat tat cga ctg aag cag tat gta aac 642Ser Asp Lys Ser Gly Val Ser His Tyr Arg Leu Lys Gln Tyr Val Asn 85 90 95 100 ggg att ccc gta tat gga gct gag caa act att cat gtg ggc aaa tct 690Gly Ile Pro Val Tyr Gly Ala Glu Gln Thr Ile His Val Gly Lys Ser 105 110 115 ggt gag gtc acc tct tac tta gga gcg gtg att aat gag gat cag cag 738Gly Glu Val Thr Ser Tyr Leu Gly Ala Val Ile Asn Glu Asp Gln Gln 120 125 130 gaa gaa gct acg caa ggt aca act cca aaa atc agc gct tct gaa gcg 786Glu Glu Ala Thr Gln Gly Thr Thr Pro Lys Ile Ser Ala Ser Glu Ala 135 140 145 gtt tac acc gca tat aaa gaa gca gct gca cgt att gaa gcc ctc cct 834Val Tyr Thr Ala Tyr Lys Glu Ala Ala Ala Arg Ile Glu Ala Leu Pro 150 155 160 acc tcc gac gat act att tct aaa gac gct gag gag cca agc agt gta 882Thr Ser Asp Asp Thr Ile Ser Lys Asp Ala Glu Glu Pro Ser Ser Val 165 170 175 180 agt aaa gat act tac gcc gaa gca gct aac aac gac aaa acg ctt tct 930Ser Lys Asp Thr Tyr Ala Glu Ala Ala Asn Asn Asp Lys Thr Leu Ser 185 190 195 gtt gat aag gac gag ctg agt ctt gat aag gca tct gtc ctg aaa gat 978Val Asp Lys Asp Glu Leu Ser Leu Asp Lys Ala Ser Val Leu Lys Asp 200 205 210 agc aaa att gaa gca gtg gag gcc gaa aaa agt tcc att gcc aaa atc 1026Ser Lys Ile Glu Ala Val Glu Ala Glu Lys Ser Ser Ile Ala Lys Ile 215 220 225 gct aat cta cag cct gaa gta gat cct aaa gca gaa ctc tac tac tac 1074Ala Asn Leu Gln Pro Glu Val Asp Pro Lys Ala Glu Leu Tyr Tyr Tyr 230 235 240 cct aaa ggg gat gac ctg ctg cta gtt tat gtg aca gaa gtt aat gtt 1122Pro Lys Gly Asp Asp Leu Leu Leu Val Tyr Val Thr Glu Val Asn Val 245 250 255 260 tta gaa cct gcc cca ctg cgt acc cgc tac att att gat gcc aat gac 1170Leu Glu Pro Ala Pro Leu Arg Thr Arg Tyr Ile Ile Asp Ala Asn Asp 265 270 275 ggc agc atc gta ttc cag tat gac atc att aat gaa gcg aca ggt aaa 1218Gly Ser Ile Val Phe Gln Tyr Asp Ile Ile Asn Glu Ala Thr Gly Lys 280 285 290 ggt gtg ctt ggt gat tcc aaa tcg ttc act act acc gct tcc ggc agt 1266Gly Val Leu Gly Asp Ser Lys Ser Phe Thr Thr Thr Ala Ser Gly Ser 295 300 305 agc tac cag tta aaa gat acc aca cgc ggt aac ggt atc gtg act tac 1314Ser Tyr Gln Leu Lys Asp Thr Thr Arg Gly Asn Gly Ile Val Thr Tyr 310 315 320 acg gcc tcc aac cgc caa agc atc cca ggc acc ctt ttg aca gat gct 1362Thr Ala Ser Asn Arg Gln Ser Ile Pro Gly Thr Leu Leu Thr Asp Ala 325 330 335 340 gat aat gta tgg aat gat cca gcc ggt gtg gat gcc cat gcg tat gct 1410Asp Asn Val Trp Asn Asp Pro Ala Gly Val Asp Ala His Ala Tyr Ala 345 350 355 gcc aaa acc tat gat tac tat aaa tcc aaa ttt gga cgc aac agc att 1458Ala Lys Thr Tyr Asp Tyr Tyr Lys Ser Lys Phe Gly Arg Asn Ser Ile 360 365 370 gac gga cgt ggt ctg caa ctc cgt tcg aca gtc cat tac ggc agc cgc 1506Asp Gly Arg Gly Leu Gln Leu Arg Ser Thr Val His Tyr Gly Ser Arg 375 380 385 tac aac aac gct ttc tgg aac ggc tcc caa atg act tat gga gat gga 1554Tyr Asn Asn Ala Phe Trp Asn Gly Ser Gln Met Thr Tyr Gly Asp Gly 390 395 400 gat gga gac ggt agc aca ttt atc gcc ttc agc ggg gac ccc gat gta 1602Asp Gly Asp Gly Ser Thr Phe Ile Ala Phe Ser Gly Asp Pro Asp Val 405 410 415 420 gta ggg cat gaa ctt aca cat ggt gtc aca gag tat act tcg aat ttg 1650Val Gly His Glu Leu Thr His Gly Val Thr Glu Tyr Thr Ser Asn Leu 425 430 435 gaa tat tac gga gag tcc ggc gca ttg aat gag gct ttc tcg gac gtt 1698Glu Tyr Tyr Gly Glu Ser Gly Ala Leu Asn Glu Ala Phe Ser Asp Val 440 445 450 atc ggt aat gac att caa cgc aaa aac tgg ctt gta ggc gat gat att 1746Ile Gly Asn Asp Ile Gln Arg Lys Asn Trp Leu Val Gly Asp Asp Ile 455 460 465 tat acg cca aac att tgc ggc gat gcc ctt cgc tca atg tcc aat cct 1794Tyr Thr Pro Asn Ile Cys Gly Asp Ala Leu Arg Ser Met Ser Asn Pro 470 475 480 act ctg tac gat caa cca cat cac tat tcc aac ctg tat aaa ggc agc 1842Thr Leu Tyr Asp Gln Pro His His Tyr Ser Asn Leu Tyr Lys Gly Ser 485 490 495 500 tcc gat aac ggc ggc gtt cat aca aac agc ggt att atc aat aaa gcc 1890Ser Asp Asn Gly Gly Val His Thr Asn Ser Gly Ile Ile Asn Lys Ala 505 510 515 tac tac ttg ttg gca caa ggc ggt act ttc cat ggc gtt act gta aat 1938Tyr Tyr Leu Leu Ala Gln Gly Gly Thr Phe His Gly Val Thr Val Asn 520 525 530 gga att ggg cgc gat gct gcg gtg caa att tat tat agt gcc ttt acg 1986Gly Ile Gly Arg Asp Ala Ala Val Gln Ile Tyr Tyr Ser Ala Phe Thr 535 540 545 aac tac ctg act tct tct tcc gac ttc tcc aac gca cgt gct gct gtg 2034Asn Tyr Leu Thr Ser Ser Ser Asp Phe Ser Asn Ala Arg Ala Ala Val 550 555 560 atc caa gcc gca aaa gat ctg tac ggg gcg aac tca gca gaa gca act 2082Ile Gln Ala Ala Lys Asp Leu Tyr Gly Ala Asn Ser Ala Glu Ala Thr 565 570 575 580 gca gct gcc aag tct ttt gac gct gta ggc taa actaaatcat atacacgatc 2135Ala Ala Ala Lys Ser Phe Asp Ala Val Gly 585 590 ctcctcattt tctgtccata gacctttgcc attgtgcaac tgtcacttgg ctctgccata 2195ccatggacga aaaatagggg tgcagtgtac aagtctgcac cccttccccc cttatttatg 2255gcgccccctc aaagggctcc ttttctctta taaaagtaat cctgtatctc ttgctttttg 2315cacagcttct tctcgattgt tgactccagc ttgacataga gagtggaggc gaattcttac 2375tgtccgtgga taggtaagtt ctcagaattg tttatacgtt ctg 24182590PRTBacillus polymyxa 72 2Met Lys Lys Val Trp Phe Ser Leu Leu Gly Gly Ala Met Leu Leu Gly 1 5 10 15 Ser Val Ala Ser Gly Ala Ser Ala Glu Ser Ser Val Ser Gly Pro Ala 20 25 30 Gln Leu Thr Pro Thr Phe His Thr Glu Gln Trp Lys Ala Pro Ser Ser 35 40 45 Val Ser Gly Asp Asp Ile Val Trp Ser Tyr Leu Asn Arg Gln Lys Lys 50 55 60 Ser Leu Leu Gly Val Asp Ser Ser Ser Val Arg Glu Gln Phe Arg Ile 65 70 75 80 Val Asp Arg Thr Ser Asp Lys Ser Gly Val Ser His Tyr Arg Leu Lys 85 90 95 Gln Tyr Val Asn Gly Ile Pro Val Tyr Gly Ala Glu Gln Thr Ile His 100 105 110 Val Gly Lys Ser Gly Glu Val Thr Ser Tyr Leu Gly Ala Val Ile Asn 115 120 125 Glu Asp Gln Gln Glu Glu Ala Thr Gln Gly Thr Thr Pro Lys Ile Ser 130 135 140 Ala Ser Glu Ala Val Tyr Thr Ala Tyr Lys Glu Ala Ala Ala Arg Ile 145 150 155 160 Glu Ala Leu Pro Thr Ser Asp Asp Thr Ile Ser Lys Asp Ala Glu Glu 165 170 175 Pro Ser Ser Val Ser Lys Asp Thr Tyr Ala Glu Ala Ala Asn Asn Asp 180 185 190 Lys Thr Leu Ser Val Asp Lys Asp Glu Leu Ser Leu Asp Lys Ala Ser 195 200 205 Val Leu Lys Asp Ser Lys Ile Glu Ala Val Glu Ala Glu Lys Ser Ser 210 215 220 Ile Ala Lys Ile Ala Asn Leu Gln Pro Glu Val Asp Pro Lys Ala Glu 225 230 235 240 Leu Tyr Tyr Tyr Pro Lys Gly Asp Asp Leu Leu Leu Val Tyr Val Thr 245 250 255 Glu Val Asn Val Leu Glu Pro Ala Pro Leu Arg Thr Arg Tyr Ile Ile 260 265 270 Asp Ala Asn Asp Gly Ser Ile Val Phe Gln Tyr Asp Ile Ile Asn Glu 275 280 285 Ala Thr Gly Lys Gly Val Leu Gly Asp Ser Lys Ser Phe Thr Thr Thr 290 295 300 Ala Ser Gly Ser Ser Tyr Gln Leu Lys Asp Thr Thr Arg Gly Asn Gly 305 310 315 320 Ile Val Thr Tyr Thr Ala Ser Asn Arg Gln Ser Ile Pro Gly Thr Leu 325 330 335 Leu Thr Asp Ala Asp Asn Val Trp Asn Asp Pro Ala Gly Val Asp Ala 340 345 350 His Ala Tyr Ala Ala Lys Thr Tyr Asp Tyr Tyr Lys Ser Lys Phe Gly 355 360 365 Arg Asn Ser Ile Asp Gly Arg Gly Leu Gln Leu Arg Ser Thr Val His 370 375 380 Tyr Gly Ser Arg Tyr Asn Asn Ala Phe Trp Asn Gly Ser Gln Met Thr 385 390 395 400 Tyr Gly Asp Gly Asp Gly Asp Gly Ser Thr Phe Ile Ala Phe Ser Gly 405 410 415 Asp Pro Asp Val Val Gly His Glu Leu Thr His Gly Val Thr Glu Tyr 420 425 430 Thr Ser Asn Leu Glu Tyr Tyr Gly Glu Ser Gly Ala Leu Asn Glu Ala 435 440 445 Phe Ser Asp Val Ile Gly Asn Asp Ile Gln Arg Lys Asn Trp Leu Val 450 455 460 Gly Asp Asp Ile Tyr Thr Pro Asn Ile Cys Gly Asp Ala Leu Arg Ser 465 470 475 480 Met Ser Asn Pro Thr Leu Tyr Asp Gln Pro His His Tyr Ser Asn Leu 485 490 495 Tyr Lys Gly Ser Ser Asp Asn Gly Gly Val His Thr Asn Ser Gly Ile 500 505 510 Ile Asn Lys Ala Tyr Tyr Leu Leu Ala Gln Gly Gly Thr Phe His Gly 515 520 525 Val Thr Val Asn Gly Ile Gly Arg Asp Ala Ala Val Gln Ile Tyr Tyr 530 535 540 Ser Ala Phe Thr Asn Tyr Leu Thr Ser Ser Ser Asp Phe Ser Asn Ala 545 550 555 560 Arg Ala Ala Val Ile Gln Ala Ala Lys Asp Leu Tyr Gly Ala Asn Ser 565 570 575 Ala Glu Ala Thr Ala Ala Ala Lys Ser Phe Asp Ala Val Gly 580 585 590 3590PRTBacillus polymyxa 72MISC_FEATUREpreproenzyme with 590 amino acids according to Takekawa S. et al. J. Bacteriology 173 (1991) 6820-6825 3Met Lys Lys Val Trp Phe Ser Leu Leu Gly Gly Ala Met Leu Leu Gly 1 5 10 15 Ser Val Ala Ser Gly Ala Ser Ala Glu Ser Ser Val Ser Gly Pro Ala 20 25 30 Gln Leu Thr Pro Thr Phe His Thr Glu Gln Trp Lys Ala Pro Ser Ser 35 40 45 Val Ser Gly Asp Asp Ile Val Trp Ser Tyr Leu Asn Arg Gln Lys Lys 50 55 60 Ser Leu Leu Gly Val Asp Ser Ser Ser Val Arg Glu Gln Phe Arg Ile 65 70 75 80 Val Asp Arg Thr Ser Asp Lys Ser Gly Val Ser His Tyr Arg Leu Lys 85 90 95 Gln Tyr Val Asn Gly Ile Pro Val Tyr Gly Ala Glu Gln Thr Ile His 100 105 110 Val Gly Lys Ser Gly Glu Val Thr Ser Tyr Leu Gly Ala Val Ile Asn 115 120 125 Glu Asp Gln Gln Glu Glu Ala Thr Gln Gly Thr Thr Pro Lys Ile Ser 130 135 140 Ala Ser Glu Ala Val Tyr Thr Ala Tyr Lys Glu Ala Ala Ala Arg Ile 145 150 155 160 Glu Ala Leu Pro Thr Ser Asp Asp Thr Ile Ser Lys Asp Ala Glu Glu 165 170 175 Pro Ser Ser Val Ser Lys Asp Thr Tyr Ala Glu Ala Ala Asn Asn Asp 180 185 190 Lys Thr Leu Ser Val Asp Lys Asp Glu Leu Ser Leu Asp Lys Ala Ser 195 200 205 Val Leu Lys Asp Ser Lys Ile Glu Ala Val Glu Ala Glu Lys Ser Ser 210 215 220 Ile Ala Lys Ile Ala Asn Leu Gln Pro Glu Val Asp Pro Lys Ala Glu 225 230 235 240 Leu Tyr Tyr Tyr Pro Lys Gly Asp Asp Leu Leu Leu Val Tyr Val Thr 245 250 255 Glu Val Asn Val Leu Glu Pro Ala Pro Leu Arg Thr Arg Tyr Ile Ile 260 265 270 Asp Ala Asn Asp Gly Ser Ile Val Phe Gln Tyr Asp Ile Ile Asn Glu 275 280 285 Ala Thr Gly Lys Gly Val Leu Gly Asp Ser Lys Ser Phe Thr Thr Thr 290 295 300 Ala Ser Gly Ser Ser Tyr Gln Leu Lys Asp Thr Thr Arg Gly Asn Gly 305 310 315 320 Ile Val Thr Tyr Thr Ala Ser Asn Arg Gln Ser Ile Pro Gly Thr Leu 325 330 335 Leu Thr Asp Ala Asp Asn Val Trp Asn Asp Pro Ala Gly Val Asp Ala 340 345 350 His Ala Tyr Ala Ala Lys Thr Tyr Asp Tyr Tyr Lys Ser Lys Phe Gly 355 360 365 Arg Asn Ser Ile Asp Gly Arg Gly Leu Gln Leu Arg Ser Thr Val His 370 375 380 Tyr Gly Ser Arg Tyr Asn Asn Ala Phe Trp Asn Gly Ser Gln Met Thr 385 390 395 400 Tyr Gly Asp Gly Asp Gly Asp Gly Ser Thr Phe Ile Ala Phe Ser Gly 405 410 415 Asp Pro Asp Val Val Gly His Glu Leu Thr His Gly Val Thr Glu Tyr 420 425 430 Thr Ser Asn Leu Glu Tyr Tyr Gly Glu Ser Gly Ala Leu Asn Glu Ala 435 440 445 Phe Ser Asp Val Ile Gly Asn Asp Ile Gln Arg Lys Asn Trp Leu Val 450 455 460 Gly Asp Asp Ile Tyr Thr Pro Asn Ile Cys Gly Asp Ala Leu Arg Ser 465 470 475 480 Met Ser Asn Pro Thr Leu Tyr Asp Gln Pro His His Tyr Ser Asn Leu 485 490 495 Tyr Lys Gly Ser Ser Asp Asn Gly Gly Val His Thr Asn Ser Gly Ile 500 505 510 Ile Asn Lys Ala Tyr Tyr Leu Leu Ala Gln Gly Gly Thr Phe His Gly 515 520 525 Val Thr Val Asn Gly Ile Gly Arg Asp Ala Ala Val Gln Ile Tyr Tyr 530 535

540 Ser Ala Phe Thr Asn Tyr Leu Thr Ser Ser Ser Asp Phe Ser Asn Ala 545 550 555 560 Arg Ala Ala Val Ile Gln Ala Ala Lys Asp Leu Tyr Gly Ala Asn Ser 565 570 575 Ala Glu Ala Thr Ala Ala Ala Lys Ser Phe Asp Ala Val Gly 580 585 590 415PRTBacillus polymyxa 72MISC_FEATUREN-terminal amino acid sequence determined by Takekawa S. et al. J. Bacteriology 173 (1991) 6820-6825 4Ala Thr Gly Thr Gly Lys Gly Val Leu Gly Asp Xaa Lys Ser Phe 1 5 10 15 5592PRTPaenibacillus polymyxa ATCC21993 5Met Lys Lys Val Trp Val Ser Leu Leu Gly Gly Ala Met Leu Leu Gly 1 5 10 15 Ser Val Ala Ser Gly Ala Ser Ala Glu Ser Ser Val Ser Gly Pro Thr 20 25 30 Gln Leu Thr Pro Thr Phe His Ala Glu Gln Trp Lys Ala Pro Ser Ser 35 40 45 Val Ser Gly Asp Asp Ile Val Trp Ser Tyr Leu Asn Arg Gln Lys Lys 50 55 60 Ser Leu Leu Gly Ala Asp Asp Ser Ser Val Arg Glu Gln Phe Arg Ile 65 70 75 80 Val Asp Arg Thr Ser Asp Lys Ser Gly Val Ser His Tyr Arg Leu Lys 85 90 95 Gln Tyr Val Asn Gly Ile Pro Val Tyr Gly Ala Glu Gln Thr Ile His 100 105 110 Val Gly Lys Ser Gly Glu Val Thr Ser Tyr Leu Gly Ala Val Val Thr 115 120 125 Glu Asp Gln Gln Ala Glu Ala Thr Gln Gly Thr Thr Pro Lys Ile Ser 130 135 140 Ala Ser Glu Ala Val Tyr Thr Ala Tyr Lys Glu Ala Ala Ala Arg Ile 145 150 155 160 Glu Ala Leu Pro Thr Ser Asp Asp Thr Ile Ser Lys Asp Val Glu Glu 165 170 175 Gln Ser Ser Val Ser Lys Asp Thr Tyr Ala Glu Ala Ala Asn Asn Glu 180 185 190 Lys Thr Leu Ser Thr Asp Lys Asp Glu Leu Ser Leu Asp Lys Ala Ser 195 200 205 Ala Leu Lys Asp Ser Lys Ile Glu Ala Val Glu Ala Glu Lys Ser Ser 210 215 220 Ile Ala Lys Ile Ala Asn Leu Gln Pro Glu Val Asp Pro Lys Ala Asp 225 230 235 240 Leu Tyr Phe Tyr Pro Lys Gly Asp Asp Leu Gln Leu Val Tyr Val Thr 245 250 255 Glu Val Asn Val Leu Glu Pro Ala Pro Leu Arg Thr Arg Tyr Ile Ile 260 265 270 Asp Ala Asn Asp Gly Ser Ile Val Phe Gln Tyr Asp Ile Ile Asn Glu 275 280 285 Ala Thr Gly Thr Gly Lys Gly Val Leu Gly Asp Thr Lys Ser Phe Thr 290 295 300 Thr Thr Ala Ser Gly Ser Ser Tyr Gln Leu Lys Asp Thr Thr Arg Gly 305 310 315 320 Asn Gly Val Val Thr Tyr Thr Ala Ser Asn Arg Gln Ser Ile Pro Gly 325 330 335 Thr Ile Leu Thr Asp Ala Asp Asn Val Trp Asn Asp Pro Ala Gly Val 340 345 350 Asp Ala His Thr Tyr Ala Ala Lys Thr Tyr Asp Tyr Tyr Lys Ala Lys 355 360 365 Phe Gly Arg Asn Ser Ile Asp Gly Arg Gly Leu Gln Leu Arg Ser Thr 370 375 380 Val His Tyr Gly Ser Arg Tyr Asn Asn Ala Phe Trp Asn Gly Ser Gln 385 390 395 400 Met Thr Tyr Gly Asp Gly Asp Gly Ser Thr Phe Ile Ala Phe Ser Gly 405 410 415 Asp Pro Asp Val Val Gly His Glu Leu Thr His Gly Val Thr Glu Tyr 420 425 430 Thr Ser Asn Leu Glu Tyr Tyr Gly Glu Ser Gly Ala Leu Asn Glu Ala 435 440 445 Phe Ser Asp Val Ile Gly Asn Asp Ile Gln Arg Lys Asn Trp Leu Val 450 455 460 Gly Asp Asp Ile Tyr Thr Pro Asn Ile Ala Gly Asp Ala Leu Arg Ser 465 470 475 480 Met Ser Asn Pro Thr Leu Tyr Asp Gln Pro Asp His Tyr Ser Asn Leu 485 490 495 Tyr Thr Gly Ser Ser Asp Asn Gly Gly Val His Thr Asn Ser Gly Ile 500 505 510 Ile Asn Lys Ala Tyr Tyr Leu Leu Ala Gln Gly Gly Thr Phe His Gly 515 520 525 Val Thr Val Asn Gly Ile Gly Arg Asp Ala Ala Val Gln Ile Tyr Tyr 530 535 540 Ser Ala Phe Thr Asn Tyr Leu Thr Ser Ser Ser Asp Phe Ser Asn Ala 545 550 555 560 Arg Ala Ala Val Ile Gln Ala Ala Lys Asp Gln Tyr Gly Ala Asn Ser 565 570 575 Ala Glu Ala Thr Ala Ala Ala Lys Ser Phe Asp Ala Val Gly Val Asn 580 585 590 61898DNAArtificial SequenceDNA comprising the nucleotide sequence encoding enzymatically active neutral protease from Paenibacillus polymyxa, the DNA having engineered termini facilitating cloning steps 6gctcgcatgc caaatgagga gagtgaattt ttg atg aaa aaa gta tgg gtt tcg 54 Met Lys Lys Val Trp Val Ser 1 5 ctt ctt gga gga gct atg tta tta ggg tct gtc gcg tct ggt gca tca 102Leu Leu Gly Gly Ala Met Leu Leu Gly Ser Val Ala Ser Gly Ala Ser 10 15 20 gcg gag agt tcc gtt tcg ggg cca act cag ctt aca ccg acc ttt cac 150Ala Glu Ser Ser Val Ser Gly Pro Thr Gln Leu Thr Pro Thr Phe His 25 30 35 gcc gag caa tgg aaa gcc cct tcc tcg gta tcg ggg gac gac att gta 198Ala Glu Gln Trp Lys Ala Pro Ser Ser Val Ser Gly Asp Asp Ile Val 40 45 50 55 tgg agc tat ttg aat cgg caa aag aaa tcg tta ctg ggt gcg gac gac 246Trp Ser Tyr Leu Asn Arg Gln Lys Lys Ser Leu Leu Gly Ala Asp Asp 60 65 70 tct agt gta cgt gaa caa ttc cga atc gtt gat cgc aca agc gac aag 294Ser Ser Val Arg Glu Gln Phe Arg Ile Val Asp Arg Thr Ser Asp Lys 75 80 85 tcc ggt gtg agc cat tat cgg ctg aaa cag tat gta aac ggg att ccc 342Ser Gly Val Ser His Tyr Arg Leu Lys Gln Tyr Val Asn Gly Ile Pro 90 95 100 gta tat gga gct gaa cag act att cat gtg ggc aaa tct ggt gag gtc 390Val Tyr Gly Ala Glu Gln Thr Ile His Val Gly Lys Ser Gly Glu Val 105 110 115 acc tct tac tta gga gcg gtg gtt act gag gat cag caa gct gaa gct 438Thr Ser Tyr Leu Gly Ala Val Val Thr Glu Asp Gln Gln Ala Glu Ala 120 125 130 135 acg caa ggt aca act cca aaa atc agc gct tct gaa gcg gtc tac act 486Thr Gln Gly Thr Thr Pro Lys Ile Ser Ala Ser Glu Ala Val Tyr Thr 140 145 150 gca tat aaa gaa gca gct gca cgg att gaa gcc ctc cct acc tcc gac 534Ala Tyr Lys Glu Ala Ala Ala Arg Ile Glu Ala Leu Pro Thr Ser Asp 155 160 165 gat acg att tct aaa gat gtt gag gaa caa agc agt gta agc aaa gac 582Asp Thr Ile Ser Lys Asp Val Glu Glu Gln Ser Ser Val Ser Lys Asp 170 175 180 act tac gcc gaa gca gct aac aac gaa aaa acg cta tct act gat aag 630Thr Tyr Ala Glu Ala Ala Asn Asn Glu Lys Thr Leu Ser Thr Asp Lys 185 190 195 gac gag ctg agt ctt gat aaa gca tct gcc ctg aaa gat agc aaa att 678Asp Glu Leu Ser Leu Asp Lys Ala Ser Ala Leu Lys Asp Ser Lys Ile 200 205 210 215 gaa gcg gtg gaa gca gaa aaa agt tcc att gcc aaa atc gct aat ctg 726Glu Ala Val Glu Ala Glu Lys Ser Ser Ile Ala Lys Ile Ala Asn Leu 220 225 230 cag cca gaa gta gat cca aaa gcc gat ctg tac ttc tat cct aaa ggg 774Gln Pro Glu Val Asp Pro Lys Ala Asp Leu Tyr Phe Tyr Pro Lys Gly 235 240 245 gat gac ctg cag ctg gtt tat gta aca gaa gtc aat gtt tta gaa cct 822Asp Asp Leu Gln Leu Val Tyr Val Thr Glu Val Asn Val Leu Glu Pro 250 255 260 gcc cca ctg cgt act cgc tac att att gat gcc aat gat ggc agc atc 870Ala Pro Leu Arg Thr Arg Tyr Ile Ile Asp Ala Asn Asp Gly Ser Ile 265 270 275 gta ttc cag tat gac atc att aat gaa gcg aca ggc aca ggt aaa ggt 918Val Phe Gln Tyr Asp Ile Ile Asn Glu Ala Thr Gly Thr Gly Lys Gly 280 285 290 295 gtg ctt ggt gat acc aaa tca ttc acc aca act gct tcc ggc agt agc 966Val Leu Gly Asp Thr Lys Ser Phe Thr Thr Thr Ala Ser Gly Ser Ser 300 305 310 tac cag tta aaa gat aca aca cgc ggt aac ggg gtt gtg acc tac acg 1014Tyr Gln Leu Lys Asp Thr Thr Arg Gly Asn Gly Val Val Thr Tyr Thr 315 320 325 gcc tcc aac cgt caa agc atc cca ggt acc att ctg acc gat gcc gat 1062Ala Ser Asn Arg Gln Ser Ile Pro Gly Thr Ile Leu Thr Asp Ala Asp 330 335 340 aat gta tgg aat gat cca gcc ggc gtg gat gcc cat acg tat gct gct 1110Asn Val Trp Asn Asp Pro Ala Gly Val Asp Ala His Thr Tyr Ala Ala 345 350 355 aaa aca tat gat tac tat aag gcc aaa ttt gga cgc aac agc att gac 1158Lys Thr Tyr Asp Tyr Tyr Lys Ala Lys Phe Gly Arg Asn Ser Ile Asp 360 365 370 375 gga cgc ggg ctg caa ctc cgt tcg aca gtc cat tat ggt agc cgt tac 1206Gly Arg Gly Leu Gln Leu Arg Ser Thr Val His Tyr Gly Ser Arg Tyr 380 385 390 aac aac gcc ttc tgg aat ggc tcc caa atg act tat gga gac ggg gac 1254Asn Asn Ala Phe Trp Asn Gly Ser Gln Met Thr Tyr Gly Asp Gly Asp 395 400 405 ggt agc aca ttt atc gca ttc agc ggg gac ccc gat gtg gta ggt cat 1302Gly Ser Thr Phe Ile Ala Phe Ser Gly Asp Pro Asp Val Val Gly His 410 415 420 gaa ctt acg cac ggt gtc aca gag tat act tcg aat ttg gaa tat tac 1350Glu Leu Thr His Gly Val Thr Glu Tyr Thr Ser Asn Leu Glu Tyr Tyr 425 430 435 gga gag tcc ggt gca ttg aat gag gct ttc tcg gac gtc atc ggt aat 1398Gly Glu Ser Gly Ala Leu Asn Glu Ala Phe Ser Asp Val Ile Gly Asn 440 445 450 455 gac att cag cgt aaa aat tgg ctt gta ggc gat gat att tat acg cca 1446Asp Ile Gln Arg Lys Asn Trp Leu Val Gly Asp Asp Ile Tyr Thr Pro 460 465 470 aac att gca ggc gat gct ctg cgc tct atg tcc aat cct acc ctg tac 1494Asn Ile Ala Gly Asp Ala Leu Arg Ser Met Ser Asn Pro Thr Leu Tyr 475 480 485 gat caa cca gat cac tat tcc aac ttg tat aca ggc agc tcc gat aac 1542Asp Gln Pro Asp His Tyr Ser Asn Leu Tyr Thr Gly Ser Ser Asp Asn 490 495 500 ggc ggc gtt cat acg aac agc ggt att atc aat aaa gcc tac tat ctg 1590Gly Gly Val His Thr Asn Ser Gly Ile Ile Asn Lys Ala Tyr Tyr Leu 505 510 515 tta gca caa ggt ggt act ttc cat ggc gta act gta aat gga att ggc 1638Leu Ala Gln Gly Gly Thr Phe His Gly Val Thr Val Asn Gly Ile Gly 520 525 530 535 cgc gat gca gcg gtt caa att tac tat agt gcc ttt acg aac tac ctg 1686Arg Asp Ala Ala Val Gln Ile Tyr Tyr Ser Ala Phe Thr Asn Tyr Leu 540 545 550 act tct tct tcc gac ttc tcc aac gca cgc gct gct gtg atc caa gca 1734Thr Ser Ser Ser Asp Phe Ser Asn Ala Arg Ala Ala Val Ile Gln Ala 555 560 565 gca aaa gat cag tac ggt gcg aac tca gca gaa gca act gca gct gcc 1782Ala Lys Asp Gln Tyr Gly Ala Asn Ser Ala Glu Ala Thr Ala Ala Ala 570 575 580 aaa tct ttt gac gct gta ggc gta aac taa atcatataca cgatcctcct 1832Lys Ser Phe Asp Ala Val Gly Val Asn 585 590 cattttctgt ccatagacct ttgccattgt gcaactgtca cttggctctg ccataccagt 1892cgacgg 18987592PRTArtificial SequenceSynthetic Construct 7Met Lys Lys Val Trp Val Ser Leu Leu Gly Gly Ala Met Leu Leu Gly 1 5 10 15 Ser Val Ala Ser Gly Ala Ser Ala Glu Ser Ser Val Ser Gly Pro Thr 20 25 30 Gln Leu Thr Pro Thr Phe His Ala Glu Gln Trp Lys Ala Pro Ser Ser 35 40 45 Val Ser Gly Asp Asp Ile Val Trp Ser Tyr Leu Asn Arg Gln Lys Lys 50 55 60 Ser Leu Leu Gly Ala Asp Asp Ser Ser Val Arg Glu Gln Phe Arg Ile 65 70 75 80 Val Asp Arg Thr Ser Asp Lys Ser Gly Val Ser His Tyr Arg Leu Lys 85 90 95 Gln Tyr Val Asn Gly Ile Pro Val Tyr Gly Ala Glu Gln Thr Ile His 100 105 110 Val Gly Lys Ser Gly Glu Val Thr Ser Tyr Leu Gly Ala Val Val Thr 115 120 125 Glu Asp Gln Gln Ala Glu Ala Thr Gln Gly Thr Thr Pro Lys Ile Ser 130 135 140 Ala Ser Glu Ala Val Tyr Thr Ala Tyr Lys Glu Ala Ala Ala Arg Ile 145 150 155 160 Glu Ala Leu Pro Thr Ser Asp Asp Thr Ile Ser Lys Asp Val Glu Glu 165 170 175 Gln Ser Ser Val Ser Lys Asp Thr Tyr Ala Glu Ala Ala Asn Asn Glu 180 185 190 Lys Thr Leu Ser Thr Asp Lys Asp Glu Leu Ser Leu Asp Lys Ala Ser 195 200 205 Ala Leu Lys Asp Ser Lys Ile Glu Ala Val Glu Ala Glu Lys Ser Ser 210 215 220 Ile Ala Lys Ile Ala Asn Leu Gln Pro Glu Val Asp Pro Lys Ala Asp 225 230 235 240 Leu Tyr Phe Tyr Pro Lys Gly Asp Asp Leu Gln Leu Val Tyr Val Thr 245 250 255 Glu Val Asn Val Leu Glu Pro Ala Pro Leu Arg Thr Arg Tyr Ile Ile 260 265 270 Asp Ala Asn Asp Gly Ser Ile Val Phe Gln Tyr Asp Ile Ile Asn Glu 275 280 285 Ala Thr Gly Thr Gly Lys Gly Val Leu Gly Asp Thr Lys Ser Phe Thr 290 295 300 Thr Thr Ala Ser Gly Ser Ser Tyr Gln Leu Lys Asp Thr Thr Arg Gly 305 310 315 320 Asn Gly Val Val Thr Tyr Thr Ala Ser Asn Arg Gln Ser Ile Pro Gly 325 330 335 Thr Ile Leu Thr Asp Ala Asp Asn Val Trp Asn Asp Pro Ala Gly Val 340 345 350 Asp Ala His Thr Tyr Ala Ala Lys Thr Tyr Asp Tyr Tyr Lys Ala Lys 355 360 365 Phe Gly Arg Asn Ser Ile Asp Gly Arg Gly Leu Gln Leu Arg Ser Thr 370 375 380 Val His Tyr Gly Ser Arg Tyr Asn Asn Ala Phe Trp Asn Gly Ser Gln 385 390 395 400 Met Thr Tyr Gly Asp Gly Asp Gly Ser Thr Phe Ile Ala Phe Ser Gly 405 410 415 Asp Pro Asp Val Val Gly His Glu Leu Thr His Gly Val Thr Glu Tyr 420 425 430 Thr Ser Asn Leu Glu Tyr Tyr Gly Glu Ser Gly Ala Leu Asn Glu Ala 435 440 445 Phe Ser Asp Val Ile Gly Asn Asp Ile Gln Arg Lys Asn Trp Leu Val 450 455 460 Gly Asp Asp Ile Tyr Thr Pro Asn Ile Ala Gly Asp Ala Leu Arg Ser 465 470 475 480 Met Ser Asn Pro Thr Leu Tyr Asp Gln Pro Asp His Tyr Ser Asn Leu 485 490 495 Tyr Thr Gly Ser Ser Asp Asn Gly Gly Val His Thr Asn Ser Gly Ile 500 505 510 Ile Asn Lys Ala Tyr Tyr Leu Leu Ala Gln Gly Gly Thr Phe His Gly 515 520 525 Val Thr Val Asn Gly Ile Gly Arg Asp Ala Ala Val Gln Ile Tyr Tyr 530 535 540 Ser Ala Phe Thr Asn Tyr Leu Thr Ser Ser Ser Asp Phe Ser Asn Ala 545

550 555 560 Arg Ala Ala Val Ile Gln Ala Ala Lys Asp Gln Tyr Gly Ala Asn Ser 565 570 575 Ala Glu Ala Thr Ala Ala Ala Lys Ser Phe Asp Ala Val Gly Val Asn 580 585 590

Claims

1. A method for recombinantly producing a neutral protease, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing in an expression vector a DNA with a sequence encoding a preproenzyme according to SEQ ID NO:5, and transforming a host organism with the expression vector, thereby obtaining a transformed host organism, wherein the host organism is a gram-positive prokaryotic species; followed by (b) expressing the DNA in the transformed host organism, wherein the transformed host organism secretes the neutral protease; followed by (c) isolating the secreted neutral protease; thereby recombinantly producing the neutral protease.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the DNA comprises the sequence of position 34 to position 1896 of SEQ ID NO:6.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the host organism is a gram-positive eubacterial species.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the gram-positive bacterial species is selected from the group consisting of Bacillus, Clostridium, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the gram-positive bacterial species is Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises culturing the transformed host organism in a liquid medium, wherein the transformed host organism secretes the neutral protease into the liquid medium.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein step (c) comprises isolating the secreted neutral protease from the liquid medium.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the host organism is deficient of an extracellular protease selected from Npr and Apr.

9. A method of isolating living cells from animal tissue in vitro, comprising the steps of (a) providing a recombinantly produced neutral protease obtained by performing a method according to claim 1, and (b) incubating the tissue in vitro with the neutral protease of step (a), wherein protein components of the extracellular matrix of the tissue are proteolytically degraded, and wherein a layer of cells or a suspension of individual living cells is obtained, thereby isolating living cells from animal tissue in vitro.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the animal tissue originates from a vertebrate animal.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein in step (b) the tissue is additionally incubated with a collagenase.

12. A kit of parts comprising in a sealed compartment a lyophilizate of a neutral protease obtained by performing a method according to claim 5.

13. The kit according to claim 15, wherein the kit further comprises in a separate sealed compartment a lyophilized preparation of a collagenase.

14. The kit according to claim 12, wherein the sealed compartment further contains a collagenase, the collagenase being blended with the neutral protease.

15. A method for making a blend of a plurality of proteases, comprising the steps of (a) providing a recombinantly produced neutral protease obtained by performing a method according to claim 1, and (b) mixing the neutral protease of step (a) with a further protease.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the further protease is selected from a collagenase and thermolysin.

17. A nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of position 289 to position 592 of SEQ ID NO:5, the nucleotide sequence being selected from the group consisting of (a) a nucleotide sequence having the sequence of position 898 to position 1811 in SEQ ID NO:6; (b) nucleotide sequences derived from the nucleotide sequence of position 898 to position 1811 of SEQ ID NO:6 as a result of the degenerated code.

18. The nucleotide sequence according to claim 17, wherein the nucleotide sequence is the sequence of position 34 to position 1811 of SEQ ID NO:6.

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