MXPA02000837A - Protease conjugates having sterically protected epitope regions. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to subtilisin protease conjugate comprising a protease moiety and one or more addition moieties. Each addition moiety is covalently attached to an epitope protection position of the protease moiety. The protease conjugates have decreased immunogenicity relative to a parent protease. The present disclosure further relates to cleaning and personal care compositions comprising the protease conjugates.

Description

CONJUGATES OF PROTEASE THAT HAVE REGIONS EPITOPES PROTECTED ESTERICALLY FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to chemically modified subtilisin proteases which are useful in compositions such as, for example, personal care compositions, laundry compositions, hard surface cleaning compositions, and heavy load cleaning compositions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Enzymes make the largest class of proteins that occur naturally. One class of enzymes includes proteases which catalyze the hydrolysis of other proteins. This ability to hydrolyze proteins has typically been exploited by incorporating naturally occurring and genetically engineered proteases into cleaning compositions, particularly those relevant to laundry applications. In cleaning techniques, the most widely used of these proteases are serine proteases. Most of these serine proteases are produced by bacterial organisms although some are produced t «« t ?. .t a, _ '. bat uta ». < tik * »> M ^ AiiU li by other organisms, such as fungi. See Siezen et al., "Homology Modeling and Protein Engeenering Strategy of Subtilases, the Family of Subtilisin-Like Serin Proteases", Protein Engeenering, Vol. 4, No. 7, pp. 719-737 (1991). Unfortunately, the efficiency of wild-type proteases in their natural environments is often not optimized for the artificial environment of a cleaning composition. Specifically, the characteristics of the proteases such as, for example, thermal stability, pH stability, oxidative stability, and substrate specificity are not necessarily optimized for use outside the protease's natural environment. Several methods have been used to alter the amino acid sequence of the wild-type serine proteases with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the protease in the non-natural washing environment. These methods include the genetic re-design and / or chemical modification of proteases to improve their thermal stability and to improve oxidation stability under very diverse conditions. However, because such modified proteases are foreign to mammals, these are potential antigens. As antigens, these proteases cause an immunogenic and / or allergenic response (hereinafter collectively described as an immunogenic response) in mammals. In addition, while the genetic re-design and chemical modification of proteases has been prominent in the continuous search ^ fc ^^ MiUMlilfMikflaMM for more highly effective proteases for laundry applications, such proteases have not been used commercially in personal care compositions and heavy duty detergents. A major reason for the absence of these proteases in products such as, for example, 5 soaps, gels, body washes, shampoos, and high-load dishwashing detergents owes to the problem of human sensitization leading to undesirable immunogenic responses. It would therefore be highly advantageous to promote a personal care composition of a heavy load detergent which would provide the cleaning properties of 10 proteases without the provocation of an immunogenic response. Currently, the immunogenic response to proteases can be minimized by immobilizing, granulating, coating, or dissolving chemically modified proteases to prevent them from being released into the air. These methods, although they are aimed at exposing the consumer to proteases in the air, 15 still presents the risks associated with extended contact to the tissue with the finished composition and exposure of the worker to the powder or aerosol containing proteases during its preparation. It has also been proposed that the reduction in the immunogenicity of a protease can be achieved by binding polymers to the 20 protease. See, for example, US patent. No. 4, 179, 337, Davies et al., Issued December 18, 1979; patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 856, 451, Olsen et al., Assigned to Novo Nordisk, issued January 5, 1999; WO 99/00489, Olsen et al., assigned to Novo Nordisk, published on January 7, 1999; WO 98/30682, Olsen et al., assigned to Novo Nordisk, published July 16, 1998; and WO 98/35026, Von Der Osten et al., published August 13, 1998. However, said proposals have not suggested the importance of the polymers bound to the amino acid regions of the protease which are responsible for the immune response (ie, epitopes). It has recently been discovered that the protease subtilisin comprises three regions of epitopes and that the conjugation of one or more polymers, polypeptides, or other groups must bind to one or more of these regions to effect the significant reduction in the immunogenicity of the protease. See, for example, patent application of E.U.A. No. 09/088, 912, Weisgerber et al., Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Co., issued June 2, 1998. The present inventors have discovered that steric protection near one or more of the epitope regions of the protease is an alternative mechanism to prevent or prevent the presentation of an epitope and decrease the immunogenicity of the protease. Accordingly, the present inventors provide modified subtilisins wherein the modification is in a region in steric proximity to one or more of the epitope regions. The present inventors have thus discovered subtilisin proteases which evoke a decreased immunogenic response while still maintaining their activity as an efficient and active protease. Accordingly, the protease conjugates present are suitable for use in various types of li i i.? "». ,. . «. i. . .. «»; , - ^. »Tl r ti? Iu_r __________ _É ___ | _________; compositions including, but not limited to, compositions for laundry, tableware, hard surfaces, skin care, hair care, beauty care, oral care, and contact lens care.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to protease conjugates comprising a portion of proteases and one or more addition portions, wherein each portion is covalently attached to a protective position of the epitope of the protease portion, wherein: (a) Protective positions of the epitope for the first region of the epitope are selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 17, 36, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 67, 86, 87, 89, 206, 209, 210, 212, 213, 214, 215, and 216 which correspond to subtilisin BPN '; (b) the epitope protection positions for the second region of the epitope are selected from 25, 26, 27, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 91, 99, 100, 101, 102, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 136, 137, 138, 140, 141, 144, and 145 corresponding to subtilisin BPN '; and (c) the epitope protection positions for the third region of the epitope are selected from 9, 10, 22, 23, 24, 62, 63, 143, 146, 154, 155, 156, 157, 172, 173 , 187, 189, 195, 197, 203, 204, 253, 254, 265, 269, 271, 272, and 275 which correspond to the subtilisin BPN '; and where the addition portions each, independently, has the structure: where X are selected from zero and a binding portion; R i is selected from zero, a first polypeptide, and a first polymer; and R2 is selected from scratch, a second polypeptide, and a second polymer; where at least one of X, RL and R2 is not zero. The protease conjugates of the present invention have decreased immunogenicity relative to the parental protease. Accordingly, said protease conjugates are suitable for use in various types of compositions including, but not limited to, laundry compositions, tableware, hard surfaces, skin care, hair care, beauty care, oral care, and care of contact lenses.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The essential components of the present invention are described below. Also included are non-limiting descriptions of various optional and preferred components useful in the embodiments of the present invention. The present invention may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of any of the required or optional components and / or limitations described herein. All percentages and ratios are calculated by weight unless otherwise indicated. All percentages are calculated based on the total composition unless otherwise indicated. All levels of components or composition that are in reference to the active level of that component or composition, which are free of impurities, for example, residual solvents or by-products, which may be present in commercially available sources. All documents referred to herein, including all patents, patent applications, and publications, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Referred to herein are registered names for materials including, but not limited to, enzymes. The inventors herein are not intended to be limited by the materials under a certain registered name. Equivalent materials (eg, those obtained from a different strong under a different man or catalog number (reference)) to those referenced by the registered name may be substituted and used in the protease conjugates and in the compositions herein. As used herein, abbreviations will be used to describe amino acids. Table one provides a list of the abbreviations used in this: -i. .ti TABLE 1 Definitions As used herein, the term "mutation" refers to an alteration in a gene sequence and / or an amino acid sequence produced by those gene sequences. Mutations include deletions, substitutions, and additions of amino acid residues to the wild-type protein sequence. As used herein, the term "parent" refers to a protein (wild-type or variant) of which is used for further modification to form a protease conjugate herein. Chromos uses the present, the term "wild type" refers to a protein, for example a protease, or another enzyme produced by non-mutated organisms. As used herein, the term "variant" means a protein having an amino acid sequence which differs from the corresponding wild-type protein. As used herein, all molecular weights of the polymers are expressed as prisoners of average molecular weight. As referred to herein, although the conjugates of the present invention are not limited to those comprising subtilisin BPN 'and variants thereof, all amino acids are listed with reference to the amino acid sequence of subtilisin BPN' which is represented by SEQ ID NO: 1. The amino acid sequence for subtilisin BPN 'is further described by Wells et al., Nucleic Acid Research, Vol. II, p. 791 1-7925 (1983).

Protease Conjugates of the Present Invention The protease conjugates of the present invention are compounds comprising a protease portion and one or more addition portions, wherein the protease portion and the addition portions are connected by covalent linkages (i.e. covalent).

Protease portions The protease portions herein are subtilisin-like proteases, either wild type or variants thereof. As used herein, the term "subtilisin-like protease" means a protease that has at least 50%, and preferably 80%, of amino acid sequence identity with the subtilisin BPN 'sequences. Wild type subtilisin-like proteases are produced by, for example, of microorganisms Bacillus alcalophilus, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus amylosaccharicus, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus lentus, and Bacillus subtilis. A discussion that refers to subtilisin-like serine proteases and their homologies can be found in Siezen et al., "Homology Modeling and Protein Engeenering Strategy of Subtilases, the Family of Subtilisin-Like Serine Proteases", Protein Engeenering, Vol. 4, No 7, pp. 719-15737 (1991). Preferred protease portions for use herein include, for example, those obtained from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus subtilis, subtilisin BPN, subtilisin BPN ', subtilisin Carisberg, subtilisin DY, subtilisin 309, 20 proteinase K, and termitase, including Alcalse ® AS (commercially available from Novo Industries, Copenhagen, Denmark), Esperase ® (Novo Industries), Savinase ® (Novo Industries), Maxatase ® (commercially available from Genencor International Inc. .), Maxacal ® (Genencor ? t jfr- te & ** l ?? e! ¡¡¡¡J, ¿¿. . A- t. i i International Inc.), Maxapem 15® (Genencor International Inc.), and variants of the precedents. Especially preferred protease portions for use herein include those that are obtained from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and variants thereof. The most protease portions Preferred herein are subtilisin BPN 'and variants thereof. Especially preferred variants of subtilisin BPN ', hereinafter referred to as "Protease A", for use as parental amino acid sequences herein are described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5, 030, 378, Venegas, issued July 9, 1991, as characterized by the amino acid sequence for subtilisin BPN 'with the following mutations: (a) Gly that position 166 is replaced with a residue of amino acid selected from Asn, Ser, Lys, Arg, His, Gln, Ala and Glu; Gly in position 169 is replaced with Ser; and Met at position 222 is replaced 15 with an amino acid residue selected from Gln, Phe, His, Asn, Glu, Ala and Thr; or (b) Gly of position 160 is replaced with Ala, and Met of position 222 is replaced with Ala. Further preferred variants of subtilisin BPN ', in the Presently referred to as "Protease B", for use as parental amino acid sequences herein are described in EP 251, 446, assigned to Genencor International. Inc., published on January 7, 1988, as characterized by the amino acid sequence of subtilisin BPN 'type - * a ^ MM ^^ M * M ^ M ^ - wild with mutations in one or more of the following positions: Tyr21, Thr22, Ser24, Asp36, Ala45, Ala48, Ser49, Met50, His67, Ser87, Lys94, Val95, Gly97, Ser101, Gly102, Gly103, Ile107, Gly1 10, Met124, Gly127, Gly128, Pro129, Leu135, Lys170, Tyr171, Pro172, Asp197, Met199, Ser204, Lys213, Tyr214, Gly215, and Ser221; or two or more of the positions listed above in combination with one or more mutations at the positions selected from Asp32, Ser33, Tyr104, Alai 52, Asn155, Glu156, Gly166, Gly169, Phe189, Tyr217, and Met222. Other preferred subtilisin variants BPN 'for use herein, hereinafter referred to as "Protease C", and are described in WO 95/10615, assigned to Genencor International Inc., published on April 20, 1995, as characterized by the amino acid sequence of wild-type subtilisin BPN 'with a mutation at position aSN76, in combination with mutations in one or more of the positions selected from Asp99, Ser101, Gln103, Tyr104, Ser105, Ile197, Asn109 , Leu126, Gly127, Gly128, Leu135, Glu156, Gly166, Glu195, Asp197, Ser204, Gln206, Pro210, Ala216, Tyr217, Asn218, Met222, Ser260, Lys265, and Ala274. Other preferred subtilisin variants BPN 'for use herein, hereinafter referred to as "Protease D", are described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4, 760, 025, to Estell et al., Issued July 26, 1988, as characterized by the amino acid sequence of wild-type subtilisin BPN 'with mutations in one or more of the selected positions a m ^ ^ ^. "... ^ ...... ^^ £ ^^^ ^ ^^ from the group consisting of Asp32, Ser33, His64, Tyr104, Asn155, Glu156, Gly169, Phe189, Tyr217 , and Met222. The most preferred protease portions herein are selected from the group consisting of subtilisin BPN ', Protease A, Protease B, Protease C, and Protease D, with Protease D being most preferred. Without intending to be limited by theory, the protease portions herein have epitope regions between: a first epitope region, a second epitope region, and a third epitope region. The first epitope region occurs at positions 70-84 corresponding to the subtilisin BPN '; the second epitope region occurs at positions 103-126 corresponding to the subtilisin BPN '; and the third epitope region occurs at positions 220-246 corresponding to the subtilisin BPN '. See, for example, patent application of E.U.A. Serial No. 09/088, 912, to Weisgerber et al., Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Co., filed on June 2, 998; the provisional co-pending patent application of E.U.A. Serial No. 60/144, 991, to Rubingh et al., "Serine Protease Variants Having Amino Acid Substitutions and Deletions in Epitope Regions" filed July 22, 1999; and the provisional co-pending patent application of E.U.A. Serial No. 60/144, 980, Sikorski et al., "Serine Protease Variants Having Amino Acid Substitutions in Epitope Regions" filed July 22, 1999. The present inventors have surprisingly discovered protective positions in epitopes of which they are in steric proxy to at least one of the preceding epitope regions. It has further been discovered that these epitopes are protected from the hydrolysis, and therefore from exposure of epitopes, by covalent linkages to one or more addition portions to an amino acid of the protease portion in a position 5 epitope protection. The epitope protection positions that are suitable for covalent modification with an addition portion depend on which epitope one wishes to protect. Most preferably, at least one addition portion is covalently attached to a protective position of the epitope 10 for the first region of the epitope. It has been found that the epitope protection positions for the first region of the epitope are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 17, 36, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 67, 86 , 87, 89, 206, 209, 210, 212, 213, 214, 215, and 216 corresponding to subtilisin BPN '. Preferably, the positions of The epitope protection for the first region of the epitope is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 17, 40, 41, 43, 67, 86, 87, 89, 206, 209, 214, and 215 which correspond to the subtilisin BPN '. More preferably, the epitope protection positions for the first region of the epitope are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 17, 40, 41, 43, 67, 86, 87, and 214 which correspond to subtilisin BPN '. It has further been found that the epitope protection positions for the second region of the epitope are 25, 26, 27, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 91, 99, 100, 101, 102, 127, 128, 129, 130, 531, 732, 133, 134, 136, 737, 138, 140, 141, 144, and 145 corresponding to the ¿¿¿, *, > * uAt-. { - - - "- subtilisipa BPN." Preferably, the epitope protection positions for the second region of the epitope are 27, 47, 48, 50, 52, 102,127,128, 130, 131, 132, 134, 138, and 141 which correspond to the BPN subtilisin. " It has been further discovered that the epitope protection positions for the third region of the epitope are selected from the group consisting of 9, 10, 22, 23, 24, 62, 63, 143, 146, 154, 155, 156, 157, 172, 173, 187, 189, 195, 197, 203, 204, 253, 254, 256, 265, 267, 271, 272, and 275 which correspond to subtilisin BPN '. Preferably, the epitope protection positions for the second region of the epitope are 22, 23, 24, 143, 146, 155, 173, 789, 197, 203, 204, 253, 254, 265, and 275 which correspond to subtilisin BPN '. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the protease portion comprises a modified sequence of a parental amino acid sequence. The parental amino acid sequence may be any of the proteases described above, with the same preferred limitations as described above. In this embodiment, the parental amino acid sequence is substituted into one or more of the parent amino acid residues with an amino acid substituted to produce a protease portion suitable for binding to one or more of the addition portions present. In accordance with the present invention, the substitution must be made in one or more of the protective positions of the epitope. The protective positions of the epitope, and preferred limitations thereof, were described above.

L.-t «, A ^"., • "^ • - In order to achieve the best selective binding in one or more of the protective positions of the epitope of one or more of the addition portions of the protease portion, substitution must be done with a substitute amino acid which does not occur in (it is unique to) the parental amino acid sequence In this regard, any amino acid substituent which is unique to the parental amino acid sequence can be used, for example, because a cysteine residue does not occur in the wild type amino acid sequence for subtilisin BPN ', a substitution of subtilisin BPN' with one or more cysteine residues in one or more of the epitope protection positions is suitable for the present invention Where a cysteine residue occurs in a position other than the protective position of the epitope of the parental amino acid sequence, it is preferable to substitute another amino acid residue for each of those positions to enable selective coupling with one or more addition portions of an epitope protection position. Cysteine is the most preferred amino acid substituent for substitution at one or more of the protective positions of the epitope. Other preferred substituent amino acids include lysine. Where the amino acid substituent is lysine, it is preferred to mutate the lysine residues that occur at different positions to the protective positions of the epitope of the parental amino acid sequence to another amino acid residue such that the functionalization of one or more of the lysine residues in a position of epitope protection is selective. By For example, a lysine residue occurs at position 43 of subtilisin BPN 'which is an epitope protection position as defined herein. Selective site mutations of all other lysine residues occurring in the subtilisin BPN 'sequence can be carried out by selective functionalization of lysine residue at position 43 with an addition portion. Alternatively, amino acid residues in any of the epitope protection positions can be shown to lysine (for example) after selective functionalization at those positions by an addition portion.

Addition portions The protease conjugates of the present invention comprise one or more addition portions wherein each of the addition portions is covalently linked to one of the amino acid residues in the epitope protecting position as described herein . The addition portion can be any chemical structure. Preferably, the addition portion sterically hides the protective position of the epitope to which it is attached, or any other epitope-protecting position as defined herein. Non-limiting examples of addition portions include organic molecules including, but not limited to, molecules having a molecular weight less than about 1600, preferably less than about 800, more preferably less than about 400, and more preferably íMMtiMüiMÉkiau ÁUMW < U > . * * & less than about 300; polypeptides; and polymers. As used herein, the term "polypeptide" means a molecule that comprises two or more amino acid residues. As used herein, the term "polymer" means any molecule comprising two or more identical monomer units (preferably five or more identical). Preferably, the addition portion has the structure: X - Wherein X is selected from zero and a binding portion; Ri is selected from the group consisting of zero, a first polypeptide, and a first polymer; and R2 is selected from the group consisting of zero, a second polypeptide and a second polymer; where at least one of X, R1 t and R2 is not zero. Preferably, the protease conjugate comprises from 1 to about 15, more preferably from about 2 to about 10, and more preferably from about 1 to about 5 addition portions. Where Ri and R2 are each, independently, portions 20 polypeptides or polymer portions, Ri and R2 may be identical or different. Preferably, where Ri is a polypeptide moiety, R2 is selected from zero and a polypeptide moiety, and more preferably is zero. More preferably, where Rt is a polypeptide moiety, R2 is l ^^ | j & ^ ß ?. selects from zero and an identical polypeptide portion, and more preferably is zero. Preferably, where Ri is a polymer portion, R2 selects from zero and a polymer portion. More preferably, where Ri is a polymeric portion R2 is selected from zero and an identical polymeric portion. Where at least one of Ri and R2 is respectively the first polymer and the second polymer, then X preferably is not zero.

Polypeptide Portions 0 The polypeptide portions described herein include those comprising two or more amino acid residues. The preferred polypeptide portions are selected from proteins, including enzymes. Preferred enzymes include proteases, cellulases, lipases, amylases, peroxidases, microperoxidases, hemicellulases, xylanases, phospholipases, esterases, cutinases, pectinases, keratinases, reductases (including, for example, NADH reductases), oxidases, phenoloxidases, lipoxygenases, ligninases, pullulanases, tanases, pentosanas, malanases, ß-glucanases, arabinosidases, hyaluronidase, chondroitinase, laccases, transferases, isomerases (including, for example, glucose isomerase and xylose isomerase), lyases, ligases, synthetases, and fruit-based enzymes (including, for example, papain). The most preferred enzymes for use as polypeptide portions include proteases, cellulases, amylases, ßÍHk. *. . »I > * .. ». . ,. *., .-., ».. * Iipases, and fruit-based enzymes, with proteases being even more preferred. Examples of lipases for use as polypeptide moieties include those derived from the following microorganisms: Humicola, Pseudomonas, Fusarium, Mucor, Chromobacterium, Aspergillus, Candida, Geotricum, Penicillium, Rhizopus, and Bacillus. Examples of commercial lipases include Lipolase®, Lipolase Ultra®, Lipozyme®, Palatase®, Novozym435®, and Lecitase® (all of which are commercially available from Novo Nordisk, Copenhagen, Denmark), Lumafast® (commercially available from Genencor, Int., Rochester, NY), and Lipomax ® (Genencor, Int.). Examples of proteases for use as the polypeptide portions include serine proteases, chymotrypsin, and elastase-like enzymes.

The most preferred proteases for use as polypeptide moieties include serine proteases, as defined hereinbefore in the discussion of "protease moieties". More preferably, where the polypeptide portion is a serine protease, the polypeptide moiety independently carries the definition of a protease moiety as described hereinbefore. Preferably, as described above, the polypeptide portion has a modified amino acid sequence of a parental amino acid sequence where the modification is at one or more of the protective positions of the epitope as described hereinbefore (whose parental amino acid sequence it can be referred to as a "second" parental amino acid sequence). In this case, one of the binding portions (where the binding portion is not zero) or the protease portion (where the binding portion is zero) is covalently bound to the polypeptide portion through one of the substituent amino acids present in the one of the epitope protection positions of the polypeptide portion. Where the polypeptide portion is a serine protease, the same preferred groups of epitope protection positions are applied as described hereinbefore, for the protease portions and their corresponding parental amino acid sequences. More preferably, where the polypeptide portion is a serine protease, the polypeptide portion and the protease portion are equivalent portions. In this case, the polypeptide portion and the protease portion are more preferably linked through a disulfide bridge, where X is zero, and more preferably, R2 is zero.

Polymer Portions The addition portions herein may comprise a polymer portion. As used herein, the term "polymeric portion" means any molecule that comprises two or more (preferably five or more identical) identical monomer units. Examples of suitable polymeric portions include polyalkylene oxides, polyalcohols, polyvinylalcohols, polycarboxylates, ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ j ^^ A ^^^^^ polyvinylpyrrolidones, celluloses, dextrans, starches, glycogen, agaroses, guar gum, pullulan, inulin, xanthan gum, carrageenan, pectin, acid hydrolysates alginic, and chitosan hydrolysates. Preferred polyalkylene oxides include polyethylene glycols, methoxypolithylene glycols, and polypropylene glycols. Preferred dextrans include carboxymethyldextrans. Preferred celluloses include methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxyethylcellulose, and hydroxypropylcellulose. Preferred starches include hydroxyethyl starches and hydroxypropyl starches. The most preferred polymers are polyalkylene oxides. The The most preferred polymer portion is polyethylene glycol. Where Ri and R2 are each, independently, polymeric moieties, Ri and R2 preferably have a collective molecular weight (ie, molecular weight of R1 plus molecular weight of R2) of about 0.2 kD (kilodaltons) to about 40 kD, more preferably from About 0.5 kD to about 40 kD, even more preferably from about 0.5 kD to about 20 kD, and more preferably from about 1 kD to about 10 kD. Where Ri and R2 are each polymer portions, Ri and R2 each, independently, preferably has a molecular weight of 20 about 0.1 kD to about 20 kD, more preferably from about 0.25 kD to about 20 kD, even more preferably from about 0.5 kD to about 10 kD, and more preferably from about 0.5 kD to about 5 kD.

Where Ri and R2 are each polymer portions, the molecular weight ratio of R-. R2 preferably has a range from about 1: 10 to about 10: 1, more preferably from about 1: 5 to about 5: 1, and more preferably from about 1: 3 to about 3: 1. Where R-. is a polymer portion and R2 is zero, R1 preferably has a molecular weight of from about 0.1 kD to about 40 kD, more preferably from about 0.5 kD to about 40 kD, even more preferably from about 0.5 kD to about 20 kD, and more preferably from about 1 kD to about 10 kD.

Binding portions As used herein, X may be zero or a binding portion which is optionally covalently linked to one or more polypeptide portions or one or more polymer portions, or both, and is also covalently bound to a residue of amino acid in one of the protective positions of the epitope of the protease portion. The binding portion can be, generally, any small molecule, ie, a molecule having a molecular weight less than about 1600, preferably less than about 800, more preferably less than about 400, and more preferably less than about 300. more preferred binding portions include Those which can be covalently linked to a cysteine residue or to a lysine residue, more preferably to a cysteine residue. Examples of binding portions and their related chemistry are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,090, Harris, issued August 29, 1995; patent of E.U.A. No. 5,171, 264, of Merrill, issued December 15, 1992; patent of E.U.A. No. 5,162,430, of Rhee et al., Issued November 10, 1992; patent of E.U.A. No. 5,153,265, to Shadle et al., Issued October 6, 1992; patent of E.U.A. No. 5,122,614, by Zalipsky, issued June 16, 1992; Goodson et al., "SíteDirected Pegylation of Recombinant lnterleukin-2 at its Glycosylation Site", Biotechnology, Vol. 8, No. 4, p. 343-346 (1990); Kogan, "The Synthesis of Substituted Methoxy-Poly (ethylene glycol) Derivatives Suitabie for Selective Protein Modification", Synthetic Communications, Vol. 22, pp. 2417-2424 (1992); and Ishii et al., "Effects of the State of the Succinimid-Ring on the Fluorescence and Structural Properties of Pyrene Maleimide-Labeled aa-Tropomyosin", Biophysical Journal, Vol. 50, pp. 75-80 (1986). The most preferred binding portion is succinimide substituted (eg, alkyl) or unsubstituted. As further examples, the following non-limiting reagents can be used to form the linking portion: N- [alpha-maleimidoacetoxy-succinimide ester; N-5-azido-2-nitobenzoyloxysuccinimide; bismaleimidohexane; N- [beta-maleimidopropyloxy] succinimide ester; bis [2- (succinimidyloxycarbonyloxy) -ethyl] sulfone; bis [sulfosuccinimidyl] suberate; fifteen- ... * , - .U ..? .. I. * - ',. . Adfc iA. ^. ..,. *. .. ... .1. -I. J difluoro-2,4, -dinitrobenzene; dimethyladipipate • 2HCl; dimethylpimelimidate • 2HCl; dimethylsuberimidate • 2HCl; disuccinimidyl glutarate; disuccinimidyl suberate; m-maleimidobenzoyl-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester; N-hydroxysuccinimidyl-4-azidosalicylic acid; N-succinimidyl-6- [4'-azido-2'-nitrophenylaminojhexanoate; N-hydroxysuccinimidyl-2,3-dibromopropionate; succinimidyl 4- [N-maleimidomethyl] -cyclohexane-1-carboxylate; succinimidyl 4- [p-maleimidophenyl] butyrate; succinimidyl 6 - [(beta-maleimidopropionamido) hexanoate]; bis [2- (sulfosuccinimidyloxycarbonyloxy) -ethyljsulfone; N- [gamma-maleimidobutyryloxy] sulfosuccinimide ester; N-hydroxysulfosuccinimidyl-4-azidobenzoate; N- [kapa-maleimidoundecanoyloxy-sulfosuccinimide ester; m-maleimidobenzoyl-N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide ester; Sulfosuccinimidyl [4-azidosalicylamido] hexanoate; sulfosuccinimidyl 7-azido-4-methylcoumarin-3-acetate; sulfosuccinimidyl 6- [4'-azido-2'-nitrophenylamino] hexanoate; sulfosuccinimidyl 4- [p-azidophenyl] butyrate; Sulfosuccinimidyl [4-iodoacetyl] aminobenzoate; sulfosuccinimidyl 4- [N-maleimidomethyl] cyclohexane-1-carboxylate, and sulfosuccinimidyl 4- (p-maleimidophenyl) butyrate. Each of these reagents is commercially available from Pierce Chemical Co., Rockford, IL.

Optional portions The protease conjugates may additionally comprise one or more other chemical structures, including (for example) one or more small molecules, polypeptides, and / or polymers attached to other protease residues not exemplified herein or even in the present invention. protective position of the epitope not containing an additional portion (hereinafter referred to as "supplementary portions"), Supplementary portions may include polypeptide portions, polymeric portions, and linking portions as described hereinbefore. Additionally, for example, one or more polymers (more preferably polyethylene glycol) having a molecular weight of about 100 Da, preferably from about 100 Da to about 2000 Da, more preferably from about 100 Da to about 5000 Da, preferably about 100 Da at about 2000 Da, more preferably from about 100 Da to about 1000 Da, even more preferably from about 100 Da to about 750 Da, and more preferably about 300 Da may be covalently linked to the protease portion herein at residues other than those exemplified at the moment. Said polymeric potions may be directly linked to the protease portion herein, at any location of the protease portion, using techniques as described herein as well as techniques well known in the art (including through linking portions as described). described herein). Non-limiting examples of the conjugation of the polymer of this optional type are set forth in WO 99/00849, Olsen et al., Novo Nordisk A S, published January 7, 1999. , í. ? ? «. . , .. **, Methods of Processing Protease portions that have a substitution at one or more of the protective positions of the epitope (or at any other location in the portion) are prepared by mutating the nucleotide sequences encoding an amino acid sequence parental Such methods are well known in the art; a non-limiting example of one such method is set forth below: A phagemid (pSS-5) containing the wild-type subtilisin BPN 'gene (Mitchinson, C. and JA Wells, "Protein Enginnering of Disulfide Bonds in Subtilisin BPN") ", Biochemistry, Vol. 28, pp. 4807-4815 (1989) is transformed into Escherichia coli dut-ung-cepa CJ236 and a DNA template containing single-strand uracil is produced using the auxiliary phage VSCM13 (Kunkel et al. ., "Rapid and Efficient Site-Specific Mutagenesis Without Phenotypic Selection", Methods in Enzymology, Vol 154, pp. 367-382 (1987), as modified by Yuckenberg et al., "Site-Directed in vitro Mutagenesis Using Uracil- Containing DNA and Phagemid Vectors ", Directed Mutagenesis to Practical Approach, McPherson, MJ ed., Pp. 27-48 (1991). Site-directed site-directed mutagenesis of the modified primer from the method described in Zoiler, MJ and M. Smith, "Oligonucleotide - Directed Mutagenesis Using M13 - Derived Vectors: An Efficient and General Procedure for the Production of Point Mutations in any Fragment of DNA ", Nucleic Acid Research, Vol. 10, p. 6487-6500 (1982) is used to produce all mutants (essentially as presented by Yuckenberg et al., Supra).

- • * ^ | ^ Oligonucleotides are made using a 380B DNA synthesizer (Applied Biosystems Inc.). Mutagenesis reaction products are transformed into Escherichia coli strain MM294 (American Type Culture Collection E. coli 33625). All mutations are 5 confirmed by DNA sequencing and the isolated DNA was transformed into Bacillus subtilis expression strain PG632 (Saunders et al., "Optimization of the Signal-Sequence Cleavage Site for Secretion from Bacillus subtilis of a 34-Amino Acid Fragment of Human Parathyroid Hormone ", Gene, Vol. 102, pp. 277-282 (1991) and Yang et al.," Cloning of the Neutral Protease Gene of Bacillus subtilis and the Use of the Cloned Gene to Créate an in vitro -Derived Deletion Mutation ", Journal of Bacteriology, Vol. 160, pp. 15-21 (1984) .The fermentation is as follows: Bacillus subtilis (PG632) cells containing the protease of interest are grown in logarithmic phase 15 medium in one liter of LB broth containing 10 g / L of glucose, and inoculated in a Biostat C fermentor (Braun Biotech, Inc., Allentown, PA) in a total volume of 9 liters. The fermentation medium contains yeast extract, casein hydrolyzate, partially soluble hydrolyzed starch (Maltrin M-250), antifoams, buffers, and trace minerals (see "Biology of ßac / 7 // ': 20 Aplications to Industry, "Doi, RH and M. McGloughIin, eds. (1992).) The broth is maintained at a constant pH of 7.5 during the fermentation run.Kannamycin (50 μg / mL) is added for antibiotic selection. of the plasmid ^ H¡ | [Éla ^ ririUMdi ^^ Miii áHMAÉiiÉiMiliMtiá &IMaik &mutagenizado. The cells are grown for 18 hours at 37 ° C to an A6oo of about 60 and the harvest product. The fermentation broth is passed through the following steps to obtain pure protease. The broth is cleared from Bacillus subtilis cells by tangential flow against a 0.16 μm membrane. The cell-free broth is then concentrated by ultracentrifugation with a membrane with a molecular weight cut-off of 8,000. The pH is adjusted to 5.5 with concentrated MES buffer (2- (N-morpholino) ethanesulfonic acid). The protease is further purified by cation exchange chromatography with S-Sepharose and elution with NaCl gradients. See Scopes, R. K., "Protein Pupfication Principles and Practice," Springer-Verlag, New York (1984). A pNA assay (DelMar et al., Analytical Biochemistry, Vol. 99, pp. 316-320 (1979)) is used to determine the concentration of active protease for the fractions collected during the elution gradient. This assay measures the rate at which p-nitroaniline is released as the protease hydrolyzes the soluble synthetic substrate, succinyl-alanine-alanine-proline-phenylalanine-p-nitroaniline (sAAPF-pNA). The production rate of the yellow color from the hydrolysis reaction is measured at 410 nm in a spectrophotometer and is proportional to the concentration of the active protease portion. In addition, absorbance measurements at 280 nm are used to determine the total protein concentration. The protease ratio ? .. Í, J? Au * - ?. * «* * .. • * - - fcj _i_í_ active / total protein gives the purity of the protease, and is used to identify the fractions to be grouped for the storage solution. To avoid autolysis of the protease during storage, an equal weight of propylene glycol is added to the pooled fractions obtained from the chromatography column. After completion of the purification procedure the purity of the protease storage solution is monitored with SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulfate acrylamide gel electrophoresis) and the absolute concentration of enzyme is determined by an active site titration method using the trypsin inhibitor type ll-T: turtle egg white (Sigma Chemical Company, St. Louis, Missouri). In preparation for use, the protease storage solution is eluted through a size exclusion column of Sephadex-G25 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, New Jersey) to remove the propylene glycol and change the buffer. The MES buffer in the protease storage solution is exchanged for 0.01 M KH2PO solution, pH 5.5. With the prepared protease it can be used for functionalization of one or more addition portions to produce the protease conjugate. The precursor to the addition portion (the precursor to the addition portion reacts with the precursor to the protease portion to form the protease conjugate which is comprised of the addition portion and the protease portion. in the ^^ # ^^^^^ - ^^^^^^^^^ 5 technique. Non-limiting examples of the protease conjugate preparation are provided below: EXAMPLE 1 A protease comprising a cysteine residue in one of the epitope protection positions is coupled with a polymer portion according to the above scheme using the following method (where "P" represents the protease portion minus the thiol group resulting from the cysteine substitution and n is the number of repeating monomer units of the polyethylene glycol (e.g., n = 77). A variant of subtilisin BPN 'is prepared with a substitution of leucine for tyrosine at position 217 and a substitution of cysteine for serine at position 3. A concentration of approximately 2 mg / mL in phosphate buffer (pH 5.5) of the variant. The pH is then raised to 7.5 with dilute sodium hydroxide. The variant is mixed with the monomethyl polyethylene glycol maleimide in a ratio of 25: 1 of activated polymer to excess variant. After one hour of mixing to - ,, .. > At room temperature, the pH of the mixture was adjusted to 5.5 with the diluted phosphoric acid and filtered through an ultrafilter with molecular weight limit to remove the excess polymer. The concentrate contains the purified protease conjugate.

EXAMPLE 2 (P) - SH ^^^^? * ja ^ j ^^ i niift A protease portion comprising a cysteine residue in one of the epitope protection positions is coupled with a polymer portion according to the above scheme using the following method (where "P" represents the protease portion minus the thiol group resulting from the cysteine substitution and n is the number of repeating monomer units of the polyethylene glycol (e.g., n = 77) A variant of subtilisin BPN 'is prepared with a leucine substitution by tyrosine at position 217 and a substitution of cysteine by phenylalanine at position 17. A concentration of approximately 2 mg / mL in phosphate buffer (pH 5.5) of the variant was achieved, the pH is then raised to 7.5 with hydroxyl Diluted sodium The variant is mixed with dimethyl polyethylene glycol maleimide in a ratio of 25: 1 of activated polymer to excess variant.After one hour of mixing at room temperature, the pH of the the mixture was adjusted to 5.5 with the diluted phosphoric acid and filtered through an ultrafilter with molecular weight limit to remove excess polymer. The concentrate contains the purified protease conjugate.

EXAMPLE 3 The succinimide-protected polymer is selectively coupled to lysine at one or more of the epitope protection positions (where "MPEG" and "PEGM" are equivalent and represent monomethyl polyethylene glycols ^^^^ t ^^^^^ aai > ^ tt __M _______? _____ É ____ »___ i ir ir tt TU, r i m u m m a m m a m e • ni iiiffl. i r »and where" P "represents the protease portion minus the lysine amine group shown): pH 8.5 M EXAMPLE 4 The carbodiimide protected polymer is selectively coupled to lysine at one or more of the epitope protection positions (where "MPEG" and "PEGM" are equivalent and represent monomethyl polyethylene glycols and where "P" represents the protease portion minus the lysine amine group that - »*,! .. * H? Kt. i. ^ ". & ** ..," - * «» - * - is shown, and X and X 'are side chains comprising the carbodnmide moiety, eg, alkyls): EXAMPLE 5 A protease portion comprising a cysteine residue in one of the epitope protection positions is coupled with an alkylmaleimide using the following method (where "P") represents the protease portion minus the thiol group resulting from the substitution of cysteine and "R" is an alkyl group.) In this example, Ri and R2 are each zero and the binding portion is derived from the alkylmaleimide. prepare a variant of subtilisin BPN 'with a substitution of leucine for tyrosine at position 217 and a substitution of cysteine for serine at position 86. A solution of 20 mL of the variant is prepared at a concentration of approximately 1 mg / mL in KH2PO buffer 0.01 M (pH 7) To this solution, 1.5 equivalents of alkylmaleimide (for example, methylmaleimide) are added.The solution is mixed gently at room temperature for about one hour. It is obtained from the solution by standard methods. EXAMPLE 6 2 Equivalents 1 Equivalent A protease portion comprising a cysteine residue in one of the epitope protection positions forms a dimer using ^^. ^ «¡^. t. »j * a? i. the following method (where "P" represents the protease portion minus the thiol group resulting from the cysteine substitution). In this example, the protease portion and the polypeptide portion are equivalent (and X is zero). A variant of subtilisin BPN 'is prepared with a substitution of leucine for tyrosine at position 217 and a substitution of cysteine for serine at position 214. A solution of 20 mL of the variant is prepared at a concentration of approximately 1 mg / mL in buffer KH2PO 0.01 M (pH 7). The oxygen is gently bubbled at room temperature for about one hour to form the desired protease dimer conjugate. The resulting protease conjugate is obtained from the solution by standard methods.

Analytical Methods The present protease conjugates can be evaluated for enzymatic activity and immunogenic response using the following methods, both known to the person skilled in the art. Other methods well known in the art may alternatively be used.

Protease conjugate activity The protease activity of a protease conjugate of the present invention can be evaluated by methods that are well known in the art. Two of these methods are set forth below: Method of Activity in Skin Flakes 5 Using Scotch® # 3750G tape, the human skin flakes were removed from the legs of a subject until the tape was substantially opaque with flakes. Then the tape was cut in 2.54 cm by 2.54 square cm and left aside. In a Petri dish of 10 mm by 35 mm, add 2 mL of a control enzyme (for example, subtilisin BPN ') or 0.75 mg / mL or add the protease conjugate to be evaluated in buffer KH2PO 0.01 M pH 5.5 . To this solution, 1 mL of a 2.5% sodium laurate solution pH 8.6 is added. The solution is mixed gently on a platform shaker. The squares of previously prepared tape are immersed in the solution (with the leaflets looking 5 upwards) for ten minutes continuing with the gentle agitation. Tape squares are gently rinsed in running water for 15 seconds. Stevenel Blue dye (3 mL, commercially available from Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO) is pipetted into a clean petri dish. The square of rinsed tape is placed inside the dye 0 for three minutes (flakes facing up) with soft mixing. The tape square is removed from the dye and rinsed consecutively in two 300 mL beakers with distilled water, for fifteen seconds per rinse. The ribbon square is left EAitesA, > . ..., .. i > ._, ... ^ ^ ^ J ^ J ^ ^ air dry. The color intensity between the tape square obtained from the control enzyme and the tape square obtained from the protease conjugate is compared visually or by using a chromometer. In relation to the tape square of the control enzyme, a square of tape of the protease conjugate that shows less intensity of color is indicative that the protease conjugate has higher activity.

Activity method by dry collagen 50 mL of 0.1 M tris buffer (tris-hydroxymethyl aminomethane) containing 0.01 M CaCl2 is combined to give pH 8.6, and 0.5 g of azocoll (collagen impregnated with azo dye, commercially available from Sigma) Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO) Incubate this mixture at 25 ° C while stirring gently with a platform agitator. Filter 2 mL of the mixture through a 0.2 micron syringe filter and read the absorbance at 520 nm to zero in a spectrophotometer. Add 1 ppm of a control enzyme (for example, subtilisin BPN ') or the protease conjugate to be evaluated in the remaining 48 mL of the tris / azocoll mixture. Filter 2 mL of the solution containing control / protease conjugate through a 0.2 micron syringe filter every two minutes for a total of ten minutes. For each filtered sample, read the absorbance immediately at 520 nm. Graph the results against time. The slopes of the control and the conjugate test are indicative of the relative activities of the samples. A greater slope is indicative of a greater activity. The activity of the protease conjugate Item ? ? ... afsü..¡? test (slope) can be expressed as percent of the control activity (pending).

Test for intranasal immunochemistry in mouse The immunogenic potential of the protease conjugates of the present invention can be determined using methods well known in the art or by the test for intranasal immunogenicity in mouse presented hereinafter. This test is similar to the assays described in Robinson et al., "Specific Antibody Responses to 10 Subtilisin Carisberg (alkaline) in Mice: Development of an intranasal Exposure Model ", Fundamental And Applied Toxicology, Vol. 34, pp. 15 - 24 (1996) and Robinson et al.," Use of the Mouse Intranasal Test (MINT) to determine the Allergenic Potency of Detergent Enzymes: Comparison to the Guinea Pig Intratracheal (GPIT) Test ", Toxicological Science, Vol. 43, pp. 39-46 (1998), 15 Both tests can be used in place of the test set out below. BDF1 mice (Charles River laboratories, Portage, Ml) weighing approximately 18 to 20 grams were used in the test. The mice were quarantined one week before dosing. The 20 rats were housed in boxes with wood chip beds in rooms controlled for humidity (30-70%), temperature (19.4 - 25 ° C) and 12-hour dark light cycles. The mice were fed Purina® mouse chow (Purina Mills, Richmond, IN) and water ad libitum. t ^ ^ Bi ^ jfc, The potential antigen to be evaluated (either subtilisin BPN 'as a positive control or a protease conjugate of the present invention9 was dosed to a group of five mice.) Before dosing, each mouse was anesthetized by injection peritoneal (ip) of a mixture of Ketaset 5 (88.8 mg / kg) and Rompun (6.67 mg / kg). The anesthetized animal is kept in the palm of the hand, with the back part down, and dosed intranasally with 5 μL of protease in buffer solution (KH2PO4 0.01 M pH 5.5). Although each group receives the same dose, several doses can be evaluated. The dose solutions are placed gently on the outside of each nostril and inhaled by the mouse. The dose is repeated on days 3, 10, 17, and 24. Serum samples were collected at day 29. The enzyme-specific IgG1 antibody in the mouse serum was measured by the ELISA method of capture of the antigen. The immunogenicities of the protease conjugate I5 can be compared against those of the BPN 'subtilisin using ED50 standard values.

Compositions of the present invention The protease conjugates herein can be used in "> or any application that is suitable for the respective parental protease." One such example includes cleaning compositions. Because of the desirable properties of reduced immunogenicity of the present protease conjugates, the protease conjugates can be used additionally in which have historically benefited minimally from the use of proteases Examples of such applications include those in which the protease conjugate is necessarily contacted with the skin of the mammal (especially human skin), such as with the use of personal care compositions.

Cleaning compositions Protease conjugates can be used in cleaning compositions including, but not limited to, laundry compositions, hard surface cleaning compositions, light load cleaning compositions including dishwashing compositions, and detergent compositions for cleaning compositions. automatic dishwasher The cleaning compositions herein comprise an effective amount of one or more protease conjugates that necessarily achieve the necessary proteolytic activity in the specific cleaning compositions. Said effective amounts are readily determined by one skilled in the art and are based on several factors, such as the particular protease conjugate used, the cleaning application, the specific composition of the cleaning composition, and whether or not a composition is required. liquid or dry (eg, granular, stick), and the like. Preferably, the cleaning compositions comprise from about 0.0001% to about 10%, more preferably from about 0.001% to about 1%, and more preferably from .- * - *: * - * - about 0.01% to about 0.1% of one or more protease conjugates of the present invention. Several examples of various cleaning compositions wherein the protease conjugates can be employed are discussed in more detail below. In addition to the present protease conjugates, the present cleaning compositions additionally comprise a vehicle of cleaning composition comprising one or more cleaning composition materials compatible with the protease conjugate. The term "cleaning composition material", as used herein, means any material selected from the particular type of cleaning composition desired and the product form (e.g., liquid, granules, stick, spray, applicator, paste, gel), whose materials are also compatible with the protease conjugate used in the composition. The specific selection of the materials of the cleaning composition is easily made by considering the surface of the material to be cleaned, the desired form of the composition for the cleaning condition during use (for example, through the use of washing with detergent). ). The term "compatible" as used herein, means that the materials of the cleaning composition do not reduce the proteolytic activity of the protease conjugate to such an extent that the protease is not effective as desired during situations of normal use. The specific materials of the cleaning composition are exemplified in detail below. . ^ .i a ^ ¿¿? ..

The protease conjugates of the present invention can be used in a variety of detergent compositions where high foam suppression and good cleaning are desired. Therefore, protease conjugates can be used with various conventional ingredients to provide fully formulated hard surface cleaners, dishwashing compositions, fabric washing compositions, and the like. Said compositions may be in the form of liquids, granules, bars, and the like. Said compositions can be formulated as "concentrated" detergents which contain as much as about 30% to about 60% by weight of surfactants. The cleaning compositions herein may optionally, and preferably, contain various surfactants (for example, anionic, nonionic, or zwitterionic surfactants). Such surfactants are typically present at levels of about 5% to about 35% of the compositions. Non-limiting examples of surfactants useful herein include the conventional Cn-C-iß alkylbenzene sulfonates and primary and random alkyl sulfates, the secondary C10-C18 alkyl (2.3) sulfates of the CH3 formulas ( CH2) x (CHOS03) "M +) CH3 and CH3 (CH2) and (CHOS03)" M +) CH2CH3 where xy (y +1) are integers of at least about 7, preferably at least about 9, and M is a cation soluble in water, especially sodium, alkylalkoxy sulfates of Cι-Ciß (especially ethoxy sulfates EO of 1-5), carboxylates of C 1 -C 8 alkylalkoxy (especially ethoxycarboxylates EO 1-5), C 10 -C 8 alkyl polyglycosides, and their sulphated polyglucosides corresponding, alpha-sulfonated fatty acid esters of C? -C18, C-? 2-C18 alkyl and alkylphenol alkoxylates (especially mixed ethoxylates and ethoxy / propoxy), C? 2-C8 betaines and sulfobetaines ("sultaines"), amine oxides of C? OC? 8, and similar. Alkylalkoxy sulfates (AES) and alkylalkoxy carboxylates (AEC) are preferred herein. The use of said surfactants in combination with the amine oxide and / or betaine or sultaine surfactants is also preferred, depending on the desires of the formulator. Other useful conventional surfactants are listed in the standard texts. Particularly useful surfactants include the C? 0-C18 N-methyl glucamides described in the U.S.A. No. 5, 194, 639, by Connor et al., Issued March 16, 1993. A wide variety of other ingredients useful in detergent cleaning compositions can be included in the compositions herein including, for example, other ingredients assets, vehicles, hydrotropes, processing aids, dyes or pigments, solvents for liquid formulations. If a further increase in foaming is desired, foam boosters such as C10-C16 alcolamides can be incorporated into the compositions, typically at levels of about 1% to about 10%. Cio-Cu alkyl monoethanol and diethanol amides is a typical class of such haat Í?, * ... i. »¿fa». *; foam reinforcers. One of said foam boosters with high surfactant adjuncts for foaming such as the amine oxides, betaines and sultaines mentioned above are also advantageous. If desired, the soluble magnesium salts such as MgCl 2, MgSO, and the like, can be added at levels of, typically, from about 0.1% to about 2%, to provide additional foam formation. The liquid detergent compositions herein may contain water and other solvents, vehicles. The low molecular weight primary or secondary alcohols exemplified by methanol, ethanol, propanol, and isopropanol are suitable. The monohydric alcohols that are preferred for solubilizing surfactants, but polyols such as those containing about 2 about 6 carbon atoms and about 2 about 6 hydroxy groups (eg, 1,3-propanediol, ethylene glycol, glycerin, and 1,2-propanediol) can also be used. The compositions may contain from about 5% to about 90%, typically from about 10% to about 50% of said vehicles. The detergent compositions herein will preferably be formulated in such a manner that during use in aqueous cleaning operations, that the wash water will have a pH between about 6.8 and about 11. The finished products thus typically are formulated in this range. The techniques to control the pH to * ^ - * • Recommended levels of use include the use of, for example, buffers, alkalis, and acids. Such techniques are well known to those skilled in the art. When formulating the hard surface cleaning compositions and fabric cleaning compositions of the present invention, the formulator may wish to employ various builders at levels from about 5% to about 50% by weight. Typical builders include zeolites of 1-10 microns, polycarboxylates such as citrate and oxydisuccinate, layered silicates, phosphates, and the like. Other conventional builders are listed in the standard formulations. Similarly, the formulator may desire to employ several additional enzymes, such as cellulases, lipases, amylases, and proteases in said compositions, typically levels of from about 0.001% to about 1% by weight. Various detersive or fabric care enzymes are well known in the laundry detergent art. Various bleaching compounds, such as percarbonates, perborates and the like, can be used in such compositions, typically at levels of about 1% to about 15% by weight. If desired, said compositions may also contain bleach activators such as tetraacetyl ethylenediamine, nonanoylbenzene sulfonate, and the like, which are also known in the art. The levels of use typically have an interval - - * • * • • '- «- * - - Í.Í. from about 1% to about 10% by weight. Dirt release agents, especially of the anionic oligoester type, chelating agents, especially aminophosphonates and ethylenediamindisuccinates, as clay removal agents, especially ethoxylated tetraethylenepentamine, dispersing agents, especially polyacrylates and polyaspartates, brighteners, especially anionic brighteners, agents foam suppressors, especially silicones and secondary alcohols, softening fabrics, especially smectite clays, and the like can all be used in said compositions at levels ranging from about 1% to about 35% by weight. The standard formulas and published patents contain multiple, detailed descriptions of said conventional materials. The enzyme stabilizers can also be used in cleaning compositions. Said enzyme stabilizers including propylene glycol (preferably from about 1% to about 10%), sodium format (preferably from about 0.1% to about 1%) and calcium format (preferably from about 0.1% to about 1%). The present variants are useful in cleaning compositions for hard surfaces. As used herein, "hard surface cleaning composition" refers to liquid and granular detergent compositions for cleaning hard surfaces such as floors, walls, bathroom tiles, and the like. Surface cleaning compositions The present invention comprises an effective amount of one to more protease conjugates of the present invention, preferably from about 0.001% to about 10%, more preferably from about 0.01% to about 5%, and more preferably from about 0.05% to about 1% by weight of the protease conjugate of the composition. In addition to understanding one or more of the protease conjugates, said hard surface cleaning compositions typically comprise a surfactant and a water soluble sequester builder. In certain specialized products such as window spray cleaners, however, surfactants are sometimes not used since they can produce a film and / or sticky residue on the surface of the glass. The surfactant component, when present, may comprise as little as 0.1% of the compositions herein, but typically the compositions will contain from about 0.25% to about 10%, more preferably from about 1% to about 5% surfactant. Typically the compositions will contain from about 0.5% to about 50% of a builder, preferably from about 1% to about 10%. Preferably the pH should be in the range of about 7 to 12. Conventional pH adjusting agents such as sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, or hydrochloric acid can be used if adjustment is necessary. Solvents can be included in the compositions. Useful solvents include, but are not limited to, glycol ethers such as diethylene glycol monohexyl ether. diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylene glycol monohexyl ether, propylene glycol monobutyl ether, dipropylene glycol monobutyl ether, and diols such as 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol and 2-ethyl-1 , 3-hexanediol. When used, said solvents are typically present at levels of from about 0.5% to about 15%, more preferably from about 3% to about 11%. Additionally, highly volatile solvents such as isopropanol or ethanol can be used in the present compositions to facilitate more rapid evaporation of the composition from surfaces when the surface is not rinsed after application of "full strength" of the composition to the composition. surface. When used, volatile solvents are typically present at levels of about 2% to about 12% in the compositions. -fc t * f EXAMPLES 7 - 12 Liquid compositions for hard surface cleaning All of the formulas are adjusted to pH 7. In another embodiment of the present invention, the dishwashing compositions comprise one or more variants of the present invention. As used herein, "dishwashing composition" refers to all forms of dishwashing compositions that include, but are not limited to, granular and liquid forms. '-' - '• * - «* * * - • * *» - • "• - • • • faith * EXAMPLES 13 - 16 Dishwashing liquid detergent Compositions for personal care The protease conjugates present are particularly useful for use in personal care compositions such as, for example, hair conditioners for permanence and for rinsing, shampoos, compositions for permanent acne and for rinsing, facial milks and conditioners. , shower gels, soaps, foaming and non-foaming facial cleansers, cosmetics, hand lotions, facial lotions, and body lotions, moisturizers, patches, and masks, permanent facial moisturizers, cosmetic wipes and cleansers, oral care, solutions, and compositions of Care for contact lenses. The present personal care compositions comprise one or more protease conjugates of the present invention and a personal care vehicle. To illustrate, the present protease conjugates are suitable for inclusion in the compositions described in the following references: U.S.A. No. 5, 641, 479, by Linares et al., Issued June 24, 1997 (cleansers for the skin); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 599, 549, by Wivell et al., Issued February 4, 1997 (cleansers for the skin); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 585, 104, by Ha et al., Issued December 17, 1996 (cleansers for the skin); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 540, 852, by Kefauver et al., Issued July 30, 1996 (cleansers for the skin); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 510, 050, Dunbar et al, issued April 23, 1996 (cleansers for the skin); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 612, 324, of Guang et al., Issued March 18, 1997 (anti-acne preparations); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 587, 176, by Warren et al., Issued December 24, 1996 (anti-acne preparations); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 549, 888, of Venkateswaran, issued on August 27, 1996 (anti-acne preparations); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 470, 884, Corless et al., Issued November 28, 1995 (anti-acne preparations); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 650, 384, by Gordon et al., Issued July 22, 1997 (shower gels); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 607, 678, by Moore et al., Issued March 4, 1997 (shower gels); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 624, 666, of Coffindaffer et al., Issued April 29, 1997 (conditioners for Ll ^ U ^^^ MH ^ H hair and / or shampoos); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 618, 524, of Bolich et al., Issued April 8, 1997 (conditioners for hair and / or shampoos); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 612, 301, by Inman, issued March 18, 1997 (conditioners for hair and / or shampoos); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 573, 709, by Wells, issued November 12, 1996 (conditioners for hair and / or shampoos); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 482, 703, of Pings, issued January 9, 1996 (conditioners for hair and / or shampoos); patent of E.U.A. No. Re. 34, 584, by Grote et al., Re issued on April 12, 1994 (conditioners for hair and / or shampoos); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 641, 493, of Date et al., Issued June 24, 1997 (cosmetics); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 605, 894, by Blank et al., Issued February 25, 1997 (cosmetics); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 585, 090, by Yoshioka et al., Issued December 17, 1996 (cosmetics); patent of E.U.A. No. 4, 939, 179, by Cheney et al. , issued July 13, 1990 (lotions for hands, face, and / or body); patent of E.U.A. No. 5, 607, 980, of McAtee et al., Issued March 4, 1997 ((lotions for hands, face, and / or body), US Patent No. 4, 045, 364, by Richter et al. ., issued on August 30, 1997 (cosmetic and cleaning cloths), European patent application, EP 0 619 074, by Touchet et al., published on October 12, 1994 (cosmetic and cleaning cloths); US No. 4, 975, 217, Brown-Skrobot et al., Issued December 4, 1990 (cosmetic and cleaning cloths), US Patent No. 5, 096, 700, Seibel, issued on 17 March 1992 (compositions for oral cleansing); U.S. Patent No. 5,028,414, Sampathkumar, issued July 2, 1991 (compositions for oral cleansing); U.S. Patent No. 5,028,415; Benedict et al., Issued July 2, 1991 (compositions for oral cleansing), U.S. Patent No. 5, 028, 415, Benedict et al., Issued July 2, 1991 5 (compositions for oral cleansing); US Patent No. 4, 863, 627, Davies et al., September 5, 1989 (cleaning solutions for contact lenses); patent of E.U.A. No. Re. 32, 672, by Huth et al., Re issued on May 24, 1988 (cleaning solutions for contact lenses); and patent of E.U.A. No. 4, 609, 493, by Schafer, issued September 12, 1986 (cleaning solutions for contact lenses). To further illustrate the oral cleansing compositions of the present invention, a pharmaceutically acceptable amount of one or more protease conjugates of the present invention is included in compositions useful for removing proteinaceous stains from teeth or 15 dentures. As used herein, "compositions for oral cleansing" refers to dentifrices, toothpastes, dental gels, dental powders, dental rinses, mouth sprays, mouth gels, chewing gums, troches, perfumer, tablets, biogels, pastes for prophylaxis, solutions for dental treatment, and the like. Preferably, the compositions for Oral cleansing comprises about 0.0001% about 20% of one or more protease conjugates of the present invention, more preferably about 0.001% about 10%, more preferably still about 0.01% to about 5%, in i i l airüii in irin - - - weight of the composition, and to a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle. As used herein, that "pharmaceutically acceptable" means that drugs, medicaments, with inert ingredients that describe the term are suitable for use in contact with the tissues of lower organs and animals without carrying out toxicity, incompatibility, instability, irritation , allergic response, and the like, provided in a reasonable benefit / risk ratio. Typically, the pharmaceutically acceptable oral cleaning vehicle components of the oral cleaning components of oral cleansing compositions will generally comprise from about 50% to about 99.99%, preferably from about 65% to about 99.99%, more preferably about 65% by weight. about 99%, by weight of the composition. The optionally pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and component components that can be included in the oral cleansing compositions of the present invention are well known to those skilled in the art. A wide variety of types of compositions, vehicle components and optional components useful in oral cleansing compositions are described in the references cited hereunder. In another embodiment of the present invention, denture cleaning compositions for cleaning the outer part of the oral cavity dentures comprise one or more protease conjugates of the present invention. Said compositions for cleaning dentures ,. ± .i? ¿? .. * 4.t. * * * * * Comprise an effective amount of one or more of the protease conjugates, preferably from about 0.0001% to about 50%, more preferably from about 0.001% to about 35%, more preferably still from about 0.01% to about 20 %, by weight of the composition, and a vehicle for denture cleanser. Various formats of denture cleaning compositions such as effervescent tablets and the like are well known in the art (see, for example, US Patent No. 5, 055, 305, de Young), are generally suitable for incorporation of one or more of protease conjugates to remove proteinaceous spots from dentures. In another embodiment of the present invention, the contact lens cleaning compositions comprise one or more protease conjugates of the present invention. Said contact lens cleaning compositions comprise an effective amount of one or more of the protease conjugates, preferably from about 0.01% to about 50% of one or more of the protease conjugates, more preferably from about 0.01% to about 20. %, more preferably still from about 1% to about 5%, by weight of the composition, and a vehicle for contact lens cleaner. Various formats of cleaning compositions for contact lenses such as tablets, liquids, and the like are well known in the art and are generally suitable for incorporation of one more of the «MMMfatfiaMhi protease conjugates of the present invention for removing proteinaceous spots from contact lenses.

EXAMPLES 17 - 19 Liquid compositions for fabric cleaning EXAMPLES 20 - 23 Cleaning solution for contact lenses 15 twenty EXAMPLES 24 - 27 Body Cleansers &Exfoliators * EXAMPLES 28 - 31 Facial Cleansing Products EXAMPLES 32 - 33 Moisturizing composition for skin permanence EXAMPLE 34 Cleaning composition for applying with cloth The above composition is impregnated onto a woven absorbent sheet comprised of cellulose and / or polyester at about = fc-a-s ,. j - - * - * - K? & .1 1, 250%, by weight of the absorbent sheet.

LISTING OE SEQUENCE < 110 > The Procter &Gamble Company < 120 »Protease conjugates having regions of sterically protected epitopes < 120 > Protection of epftope < 140 > PCT / USOO / < 141 > 23CC-0"-ll <16D> 1 <170> Patentlr Ver. 2.0 <21 > 1 < 2 1 > 2 ~ 5 < 2L2 > PP.T < 212 > Bac llus arpvlolisuefacier.s <40C> 1 Wing Glr Ser Val Prc Tyr Gly Val Ser Glr. Ía Pro Ala J? U 10 15 His Ser 31 y Tyr Thr Gly Ser sn Val Val Val Val Val As As 20 23 30 Ser Gly He Asp Ser Ser His Pro Asp Leu Lys Val Wing Ala Gly Gly Wing 35 '40 45 Ser Met Val Pro Ser Glu Thr Asn Pro Phe Gln Asp Asn Asn Ser His 50 55 60 51y Thr H s Val Wing Gly Thr Val Wing Ala Leu Asn Asn Ser He sly 65 70 75 80 Val Leu Gly Val Ala Pro Ser Ala Ser Leu Ala Val Lys Val Leu 65 90 95 31and Wing Asp Gly Ser Gly Gln Tyr Ser Trp II; e Asn Sly slu 100 1C5 LlO Trp Wing Wing Ala Asn Asn Met Asp Val As As Met Met Be Leu Gly Gly 113 120 125 Pro Ser Gly Ser Ala Ala Leu Ala Ala Ala Asp Lys Ala Ala Ala 135 140 Ser Gly Val Val Val Val Ala Wing Wing Gly Asr. Glu Sly Tnr Ser Gly 145 150 160 Being Ser Thr Val Gly Tyr Pro Gly Lys Tyr Pro Ser Val He Ale 155 17 0 Val Gly Ala Val Asp Ser Ser Asn Gln Arg Wing Ser Phe Ser Ser Val 1B0"185 150 Ly Pro Glu Leu Asp Val Met Wing Pro Gly Val Ser He Gln Ser Thr 153 200 205 Leu Pro Gly Asn Lys Tyr Gly Wing Tyr Asn Gly Thr Ser Met Ala Ser 210 215 220 Pro Kis Val Al a Gly Al a Ala Ala Leu He Leu Se: Lys K a Pro Asn 225 '230 235 240 h? Mi? ^ tiMA ^ ii É i ^^? ^ UéM? iit ?? - - '- «" * "• - -' • * •. ^. .. L ~ J ... .l! T.

Trp Thr Asn Thr Gln Val Arg Ser Ser Leu Glu Asn Thr Tar Thr Lys 245 250 255 Leu Gly Asp Ser Phe Tyr Tyr G. and Lys Gly Leu He Asn Val Gln Wing 260"265 270 Wing Wing Gin r-wflriiirtttMrifcÉTiitñ-fif *, «. < «* *. *. * - ** I? »*****.,

Claims (4)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. A protease conjugate characterized in that said conjugate comprises a protease portion and one or more addition portions wherein the protease portion comprises a first epitope region, a second epitope region, and a third epitope region, wherein each additional portion is covalently attached to a protective position of the epitope of the protease portion, wherein: (a) the epitope protection positions for the first region of the epitope are selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12 , 17, 36, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 67, 86, 87, 89, 206, 209, 210, 212, 213, 214, 215, and 216 corresponding to subtilisin BPN '; (b) the epitope protection positions for the second region of the epitope are selected from 25, 26, 27, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 91, 99, 100, 101, 102, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 136, 137, 138, 140, 141, 144, and 145 corresponding to subtilisin BPN '; and (c) the epitope protection positions for the third region of the epitope are selected from 9, 10, 22, 23, 24, 62, 63, 143, 146, 154, 155, 156, 157, 172, 173 , 187, 189, 195, 197, 203, 204, 253, 254, 265, 269, 271, 272, and 275 which correspond to the subtilisin BPN '

2 - . 2 - The protease conjugate according to claim 1, further characterized in that each addition portion, independently, has the structure:

3. - The protease conjugate according to claim 2, further characterized in that the protease portion has a modified amino acid sequence of a parental amino acid sequence, wherein the modified amino acid sequence comprises a substitution by an amino acid substitution in one or more of the epitope protection positions and where each additional portion is covalently linked to one of the substituent amino acids.

4. The protease conjugate according to claim 3, further characterized in that the amino acid substituent is cysteine. 5 - The protease conjugate according to claim 4, further characterized in that the amino acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of subtilisin BPN ', subtilisin Carisberg, subtilisin DY, subtilisin 309, proteinase K, termitase, Protease A, Protease B , Protease C, Protease D, and variants thereof. 6 - The protease conjugate according to claim 5, further characterized in that: a) the positions of 1j_J ^ j_j_ ^ ¿^ _jj | | _ _ ^ j £ fc _____ _l __ ^ t f '1 -' - - »< • • - .... -to. - .. ^^ .. afc-. < . Protection of the epitope for the first region of the epitope are selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 17, 40, 41, 43, 67, 86, 87, and 214 which correspond to the subtilisin BPN ' b) the epitope protection positions for the second region of the epitope are selected from group 5 consisting of 27, 47, 48, 50, 52, 102,127,128, 130, 131, 132, 134, 138, and 141 corresponding to subtilisin BPN 'c) the epitope protection positions for the third region of the epitope are selected from the group consisting of 22, 23, 24, 143, 146, 155, 173, 789, 197, 203, 204, 253, 254, »265, and 275 that correspond to the subtilisin BPN '. ? 7 - The protease conjugate according to claim 6, further characterized in that Ri and R2 are each zero. 8. The protease conjugate according to claim 6, further characterized in that Ri is the first polypeptide that "Is selected from the group consisting of subtilisin BPN ', 1 15 9.- The protease conjugate according to claim 8, further characterized in that the first polypeptide is covalently bound to the binding portion of the protease portion in a position of the first polypeptide selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 36, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45 20 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 62, 63, 67, 86, 87, 89, 91, 99, 100, 101, 102, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 136, 137, 138, 140, 141, 143, 144, 146, 154, 155, 156, 157, 172, 173, 187, 189, 195, 197, 203, 204, 206, 209, 210, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 253, 254, 256, 265, 267, 269, 271, and 275 which corresponds to subtilisin BPN '10. The protease conjugate according to claim 9, further characterized in that X is zero and where the protease portion and the first polypeptide are covalently bound through a disulfide bridge. 11. The protease conjugate according to claim 6, further characterized in that R2 is zero and the first polymer *. ,: is a polyethylene glycol. ? 12. The protease conjugate according to claim 11, further characterized in that at least one addition portion is covalently linked to a protective position of the epitope selected from the group consisting of the first region of the epitope, the second epitope region, and the third region. 13. A cleaning composition comprising a protease conjugate according to claim 1 and a vehicle for cleaning composition. 14. A composition for personal care comprising a protease conjugate according to claim 1 and a vehicle 20 for personal care. ^^^