Protease-deficient Bacillus anthracis

US9555064B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary, Dept. of Health and Human Services · US

Inventors

• Andrei P. Pomerantsev · Bethesda, US
• Stephen H. Leppla · Bethesda, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 2, 2012
• Grant date: Jan 31, 2017
• Expiry date: Dec 23, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/52
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to a Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) in which more than one secreted protease is inactivated by genetic modification. Such a protease-deficient B. anthracis has an improved ability to produce recombinant secreted proteins compared to other bacteria, particularly other Bacillus. Improvements include production of intact (i.e., mature full-length) proteins, often at high yield. The disclosure provides a B. anthracis that comprises a genetic modification that inactivates a protease of the M4 family of metalloproteases and a genetic modification that inactivates a protease of the M6 family of metalloproteases. Also provided is a modified B. anthracis comprising such genetic modification transformed with a recombinant molecule encoding a product, as well as methods to prepare and use such B. anthracis.