Patent ID: 7705137

Claim:
An isolated polynucleotide encoding a variant of a trypsin polypeptide, wherein the variant comprises the specific combination of modifications as follows: (a) substitutions at positions corresponding to positions 144, 193, 198, 201, 218, 223, 227, 228, 229, 230, and 231 of amino acids 25 to 248 of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b) deletions at positions corresponding to positions 192, 197, and 226 of amino acids 25 to 248 of SEQ ID NO: 2; and (c) an insertion between positions corresponding to positions 224 and 225 of amino acids 25 to 248 of SEQ ID NO: 2; wherein, the variant has chymotrypsin activity and (i) has at least 90% identity to amino acids 25 to 248 of SEQ ID NO: 2; or (ii) is encoded by a nucleotide sequence which hybridize under at least medium-high stringency conditions with nucleotides 202 to 801 of SEQ ID NO: 1 or the complete complementary strand thereto, wherein medium-high stringency conditions are defined as prehybridization and hybridization at 42° C. in 5×SSPE, 0.3% SDS, 200 μg/ml sheared and denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 35% formamide followed by washing three times each for 15 minutes using 2×SSC, 0.2% SDS at 60° C.