NADPH oxidase proteins

1. A NADPH oxidase (Nox) protein comprising:

(a) a domain comprising from 3 to 7 transmembrane helices;

(b) an amino acid sequence comprising at least 2 bis-histidyl motifs, wherein each of the bis-histidyl motifs consists of 2 histidine residues separated by 12, 13 or 14 amino acid residues;

(c) at least one first motif consisting of the sequence:

(SEQ ID NO: 1)

[G/S/A]-[Q/D]-F-[A/V/T/L/F]-[F/Y/W/L/R]-[L/V/I/F/

W];

(d) at least one second motif consisting of the sequence:

(SEQ ID NO: 2)

[P/A/S/E/F]-H-[P/S/A]-F-[T/S]-[L/I/M/V];

(e) at least one third motif consisting of the sequence:

[K/R]-X-X-G-[D/G]-X-[T/S]  (SEQ ID NO: 3),

wherein X represents any naturally occurring amino acid; and

(f) at least one fourth motif consisting of the sequence:

(SEQ ID NO: 4)

G-[I/S/V/L]-G-[V/I/A/F]-[T/A/S]-[P/Y/T/A],

wherein the Nox protein is produced in a host cell comprising an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of the sequences SEQ ID NOs: 365 to 369.

2. The Nox protein of claim 1 , wherein said first motif is selected from the group consisting of the sequences SEQ ID NO: 8, SEQ ID NO: 9 and SEQ ID NO: 10.

3. The Nox protein of claim 1 , wherein said second motif is selected from the group consisting of the sequences, SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO: 13 and SEQ ID NO: 14.

4. The Nox protein of claim 1 , wherein said third motif is selected from the group consisting of the sequences, SEQ ID NO: 16, SEQ ID NO: 17, SEQ ID NO: 18, SEQ ID NO: 19, and SEQ ID NO: 20.

5. The Nox protein of claim 1 , wherein said fourth motif is selected from the group consisting of the sequences SEQ ID NO: 21, SEQ ID NO: 22 and SEQ ID NO: 23.

6. The Nox protein of claim 1 , wherein the Nox protein comprises NADPH oxidase activity which catalyzes the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the presence of an electron donor.

7. The Nox protein of claim 6 , wherein said NADPH oxidase activity is capable of being detected in a sample comprising said protein via a reaction showing production of superoxide ion.

8. The Nox protein of claim 1 , wherein said host cell is a bacterium.

9. A method for producing the Nox protein of claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a solution of cells comprising said Nox protein in the cellular membranes of said cells; and

(b) using at least one detergent from the maltoside family, solubilizing the cell membranes to place said Nox protein in suspension in said solution.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said at least one detergent is a dodecyl-maltoside.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said at least one detergent is selected from the group consisting of: n-Dodecyl-β-D-Maltopyranoside; n-Decyl-α-D-Maltopyranoside; 2,6-Dimethyl-4-Heptyl-β-D-Maltopyranoside; HEGA-11; n-Hexyl-β-D-Maltopyranoside; n-Hexadecyl-β-D-Maltopyranoside; n-Nonyl-β-D-Maltopyranoside; n-Octyl-β-D-Maltopyranoside; 2-Propyl-1-Pentyl-β-D-Maltopyranoside; n-Tetradecyl-β-D-Maltopyranoside; n-Tridecyl-β-D-Maltopyranoside; n-Undecyl-β-D-Maltopyranoside; n-Undecyl-α-D-Maltopyranoside; ω-Undecylenyl-β-D-Maltopyranoside; n-Decyl-β-D-Thiomaltopyranoside; n-Dodecyl-β-D-Thiomaltopyranoside; n-Octyl-β-D-Thiomaltopyranoside; n-Nonyl-β-D-Thiomaltopyranoside; n-Undecyl-β-D-Thiomaltopyranoside; Lauryl Maltose Neopentyl Glycol (MNG3); Decyl Maltose Neopentyl Glycol; CYMAL-5 Neopentyl Glycol; CYMAL-6 Neopentyl Glycol; CYMAL-7 Neopentyl Glycol; CYMAL-1; CYMAL-2; CYMAL-3; CYMAL-4; CYMAL-5; CYMAL-6; CYMAL-7; Octyl Maltoside, Fluorinated; BisMalt-18; BisMalt-20; BisMalt-22; BisMalt-24; BisMalt-28; n-Dodecyl-d25-β-D-Maltopyranoside; Decyl-β-D-Selenomaltoside; Dodecyl-β-D-Selenomaltoside; Octyl-β-D-Selenomaltoside; and Undecyl-β-D-Selenomaltoside.