1. An isolated polypeptide having protease activity, and having a melting temperature (Tm) of at least 78\xb0 C., as determined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) in a 10 mM sodium phosphate, 50 mM sodium chloride buffer, pH 7.0, using a constant scan rate of 1.5\xb0 C.min, wherein the polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of:
(a) a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence which has a degree of identity to amino acids 1 to 188 of SEQ ID NO: 2, 1 to 196 of SEQ ID NO: 8, 1 to 189 of SEQ ID NO: 10, andor 1 to 188 of SEQ ID NO: 12 of at least 60%;
(b) a polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence which hybridizes under low stringency conditions with either of nucleotides 499-1062 of SEQ ID NO: 1, 577-1164 of SEQ ID NO: 7, 586-1152 of SEQ ID NO: 9, andor 502-1065 of SEQ ID NO: 11; and
(c) a polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence which has a degree of identity to any one of nucleotides 499-1062 of SEQ ID NO: 1, 577-1164 of SEQ ID NO: 7, 586-1152 of SEQ ID NO: 9, andor 502-1065 of SEQ ID NO: 11 of at least 60%.
2. An animal feed additive comprising a polypeptide of claim 1; and
(a) at least one fat-soluble vitamin, andor
(b) at least one water-soluble vitamin, andor
(c) at least one trace mineral.
3. An animal feed composition having a crude protein content of 50 to 800 gkg and comprising a polypeptide of claim 1.
4. An animal feed composition having a crude protein content of 50 to 800 gkg and comprising a feed additive of claim 2.
5. The feed composition of claim 3 which is a fish feed.
6. A composition comprising a polypeptide of claim 1, together with at least one other enzyme selected from amongst amylase, phytase, xylanase, galactanase, alpha-galactosidase, protease, phospholipase, andor beta-glucanase.
7. A detergent composition comprising a polypeptide of claim 1 and a surfactant.
8. An isolated nucleic acid sequence comprising a nucleic acid sequence which encodes the polypeptide of claim 1.
9. An isolated nucleic acid sequence comprising a nucleic acid sequence which encodes a polypeptide having protease activity and a melting temperature (Tm) of at least 78\xb0 C., as determined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) in a 10 mM sodium phosphate, 50 mM sodium chloride buffer, pH 7.0, using a constant scan rate of 1.5\xb0 C.min, wherein the nucleic acid sequence (a) hybridizes under low stringency conditions with any one of nucleotides 499-1062 of SEQ ID NO: 1, 577-1164 of SEQ ID NO: 7, 586-1152 of SEQ ID NO: 9, andor 502-1065 of SEQ ID NO: 11;
(b) has a degree of identity to any one of nucleotides 499-1062 of SEQ ID NO: 1577-1164 of SEQ ID NO: 7, 586-1152 of SEQ ID NO: 9, andor 502-1065 of SEQ ID NO: 11 of at least 60%; andor
(c) encodes a polypeptide which has a degree of identity to amino acids 1 to 188 of SEQ ID NO: 2, 1 to 196 of SEQ ID NO: 8, 1 to 189 of SEQ ID NO: 10, andor 1 to 188 of SEQ ID NO: 12 of at least 60%.
10. A nucleic acid construct comprising the nucleic acid sequence of claim 8 operably linked to one or more control sequences that direct the production of the polypeptide in a suitable expression host.
11. A recombinant expression vector comprising the nucleic acid construct of claim 9.
12. A recombinant host cell comprising the nucleic acid construct of claim 9.
13. A method for producing a polypeptide, comprising
(a) cultivating a recombinant host cell of claim 12 to produce a supernatant comprising the polypeptide; and
(b) recovering the polypeptide.
14. A transgenic plant, or plant part, capable of expressing the polypeptide of claim 1.
15. A transgenic, non-human animal, or products, or elements thereof, being capable of expressing the polypeptide of claim 1.
16. A method for producing a polypeptide of claim 1, the method comprising
(a) cultivating any one of the following strains:
(i) Nocardiopsis dassonvillei subsp. dassonvillei DSM 43235,
(ii) Nocardiopsis sp. DSM 16424, or
(iii) Nocardiopsis alba DSM 15647; and
(b) recovering the polypeptide.
17. A method for improving the nutritional value of an animal feed, for increasing digestible andor soluble protein in animal diets; andor for increasing the degree of hydrolysis of proteins in animal diets, comprising adding a polypeptide of claim 1.
18. Nocardiopsis sp. DSM 16424 or Nocardiopsis alba DSM 15647.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-38. (canceled)
39. An optical carriage module for a scanner, comprising:
at least two page-wide generally planar mirrors;
a page-wide optical element comprising a plurality of non-planar mirrors, each of the non-planar mirrors corresponding to a discrete image-forming optical channel associated with the scanner, the discrete image-forming optical channel reflecting from each of the two page-wide generally planar mirrors;
at least two end datum blocks comprising mirror mounting surfaces for mounting the page-wide generally planar mirrors and an element mounting surface for mounting the page-wide optical element;
at least one spring clip for each end datum block, each spring clip holding the at least two page-wide mirrors against an end datum block; and
a carriage housing;
and wherein the page-wide mirrors, the end datum blocks, and the clips are comprised in an optical subassembly that is secured to the carriage housing.
40. The optical carriage module of claim 39, wherein the end datum blocks are substantially clear and are secured to the carriage housing using an adhesive cured by application of light.
41. The optical carriage module of claim 39, wherein the page-wide optical component is substantially flexible, the method further comprising:
a middle datum block having a datum surface referencing the substantially flexible page-wide optical component;
a datum surface on each end datum block referencing the relatively flexible substantially flexible page-wide optical component.
42. The optical carriage module of claim 41, further comprising at least one spring feature on the middle datum block, the at least one spring feature configured to hold the datum surface of the middle datum block against an alignment fixture while the middle datum block is secured to the carriage housing using an adhesive.
43. The optical carriage of claim 42, wherein after curing of the adhesive, the datum surfaces on the end datum blocks and the datum surface on the middle datum block are substantially coplanar.
44. The optical carriage module of claim 41, further comprising:
a lid; and
at least one spring interposed between the lid and the relatively flexible substantially flexible page-wide optical component, the at least one spring holding the substantially flexible page-wide optical component against at least one datum surface.
45. A method of assembling an optical carriage module for a scanner, comprising:
securing at least two page-wide generally planar mirrors against first mounting surfaces on two end datum blocks using at least one spring clip for each datum block;
securing a page-wide optical component against a second mounting surface on the two end datum blocks, the page-wide optical element comprising a plurality of non-planar mirrors that each correspond to a discrete image-forming optical channel associated with the scanner, the discrete image-forming optical channel reflecting from each of the at least two page-wide generally planar mirrors; and
securing the two end datum blocks comprising the at least two page-wide generally planar mirrors and the page-wide optical component as an optical subassembly into a carriage housing.
46. The method of claim 45, wherein securing the two end datum blocks further comprises:
placing an adhesive between each end datum block and the carriage housing;
and curing the adhesive by flooding it with light through the end datum blocks.
47. The method of claim 45, wherein each end datum block comprises a datum surface, the method further comprising:
holding an alignment fixture against the datum surfaces of the end datum blocks;
placing a middle datum block between the end datum blocks, the middle datum block having a datum surface and at least one spring feature that holds the middle datum block datum surface against the alignment fixture;
securing the middle datum block to the carriage housing using an adhesive; and
securing the page-wide optical component to the middle datum block.
48. The method of claim 47, wherein after the middle datum block is secured to the carriage, the datum surfaces of the end datum blocks and the datum surface of the middle datum block are substantially coplanar.