Compositions and methods for prion decontamination
View Patent ↗The invention relates to compositions and methods for prion degradation, decontamination or disinfection. The composition comprises an oxidizing agent, one or more proteases and a surfactant such as an ionic surfactant/detergent. The method comprises contacting a prion contaminated entity with a prion-degrading composition comprising an effective amount of an oxidizing agent, an effective amount of at least one protease, and an effective amount of a surfactant. The components of the composition may be contacted with a prion-contaminated entity sequentially or simultaneously using an aqueous composition. Typically at least two different proteases are used for optimal efficacy. Preferably the oxidizing agent comprises peracetyl ions or a source thereof. The invention also relates to kits comprising the various reagents.
1. A prion-degrading composition comprising:
(a) a non-enzymatic peroxygen-generating composition comprising:
(i) perborate or percarbonate; and
(ii) tetraacetyl ethylene diamine (TAED) or N-acetyl caprolactam;
(b) at least one protease selected from the group consisting of a pronase and a bacterial neutral protease; and
(c) at least one surfactant.
2. The prion-degrading composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one protease is isolated from bacteria of the genus Bacillus.
3. The prion-degrading composition of claim 2 , wherein the at least one protease comprises Neutrase isolated from Bacillus amyloliquifaciens or Alcalase isolated from Bacillus licheniformis.
4. The prion-degrading composition of claim 1 , wherein the non-enzymatic peroxygen-generating component comprises perborate and tetraacetyl ethylene diamine.
5. The prion-degrading composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one surfactant comprises an ionic surfactant.
6. The prion-degrading composition of claim 5 , wherein the at least one surfactant comprises sodium dodecyl sulfate.
7. A kit for degrading prions on a prion-contaminated surface comprising:
(a) a non-enzymatic peroxygen-generating component:
(i) perborate or percarbonate; and
(ii) tetraacetyl ethylene diamine (TAED) or N-acetyl caprolactam;
(b) at least one protease selected from the group consisting of a pronase and a bacterial neutral protease; and
(c) an ionic surfactant.
8. The kit of claim 7 , wherein the non-enzymatic peroxygen-generating component comprises perborate and tetraacetyl ethylene diamine.
9. The kit of any of claim 7 or 8 , wherein the at least one protease comprises Neutrase isolated from Bacillus amyloliquifaciens or Alcalase isolated from Bacillus licheniformis.
10. A prion-degrading composition comprising:
(a) a water-activated peroxygen-generating composition:
(i) perborate or percarbonate; and
(ii) tetraacetyl ethylene diamine (TAED) or N-acetyl caprolactam;
(b) at least one protease selected from the group consisting of a pronase and a bacterial neutral protease, and
(c) at least one surfactant.
11. The prion-degrading composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least two proteases.
12. The kit of claim 7 , wherein the kit comprises at least two proteases.
13. The prion-degrading composition of claim 10 , wherein the composition comprises at least two proteases.