Phytase

1. An isolated, recombinant, or synthetic phytase, wherein the phytase is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an amino acid sequence comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:6;

(b) a variant of SEQ ID NO: 6 wherein the variant comprises a sequence having at least 99.0%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9%, identity to SEQ ID NO:6 and wherein the variant has phytase activity; and

(c) an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:5;

wherein the phytase is expressed intracellularly at a level of at least 7.0 g/L, 8.0 g/L, 9.0 g/L, 10.0 g/L, 11.0 g/L, 12.0 g/L, 13.0 g/L, 14.0 g/L, 15.0 g/L, 16.0 g/L, 17.0 g/L, 18.0 g/L, 19.0 g/L, 20.0 g/L, 21.0 g/L, 22.0 g/L, 23.0 g/L, 24.0 g/L, 25.0, g/L, 26.0 g/L, 27.0 g/L, 28.0 g/L, 29.0 g/L, 30.0 g/L, 31.0 g/L, 32.0 g/L, 33.0 g/L, 34.0 g/L, 35.0 g/L, 36 g/L, 37 g/L, 38 g/L, 39 g/L, or 40 g/L.

2. An isolated, recombinant, or synthetic phytase, wherein the phytase is encoded by a nucleic acid selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a nucleic acid comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:5;

(b) a variant of SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:5 wherein the variant comprises a sequence having at least 98.5%, 98.6%, 98.7%, 98.8%, 98.9%, 99.0%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9%, identity to SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:5, and wherein the variant encodes a polypeptide having phytase activity;

(c) a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:6; and

wherein the phytase is expressed intracellularly at a level of at least 7.0 g/L, 8.0 g/L, 9.0 g/L, 10.0 g/L, 11.0 g/L, 12.0 g/L, 13.0 g/L, 14.0 g/L, 15.0 g/L, 16.0 g/L, 17.0 g/L, 18.0 g/L, 19.0 g/L, 20.0 g/L, 21.0 g/L, 22.0 g/L, 23.0 g/L, 24.0 g/L, 25.0, g/L, 26.0 g/L, 27.0 g/L, 28.0 g/L, 29.0 g/L, 30.0 g/L, 31.0 g/L, 32.0 g/L, 33.0 g/L, 34.0 g/L, 35.0 g/L, 36 g/L, 37 g/L, 38 g/L, 39 g/L, or 40 g/L.

3. An isolated, recombinant, or synthetic polypeptide having phytase activity, wherein the polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an amino acid sequence comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:6;

(b) a variant of SEQ ID NO: 6; wherein the variant comprises a sequence having at least 99.0%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9%, identity to SEQ ID NO:6 and wherein the variant has phytase activity; and

(c) an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid comprising SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:5.

4. The isolated, recombinant, or synthetic polypeptide of claim 3 , wherein the polypeptide

(a) does not comprise a signal sequence, a protein sequence, a promoter sequence, or any combination thereof, or

(b) further comprises a heterologous sequence selected from the group consisting of: a signal sequence, a tag, an epitope, a promoter sequence, an N-terminal extension, a C-terminal extension, and any combination thereof.

5. The isolated, recombinant, or synthetic polypeptide of claim 3 , wherein the polypeptide

(a) further comprises at least a second enzyme, or

(b) the polypeptide of (a), wherein the second enzyme is selected from the group consisting of: a lactase, a lipase, a protease, a catalase, a xylanase, a cellulase, a glucanase, a mannanase, an amylase, an amidase, an epoxide hydrolase, an esterase, phospholipase, transaminase, an amine oxidase, cellobiohydrolase, an ammonia lyase, and any combination thereof.

6. The isolated, recombinant, or synthetic polypeptide of claim 3 , wherein the phytase:

(a) has a specific activity from about 1000 U/mg to 1,600 U/mg,

(b) is active at a pH from at least pH 1.0 to about pH 9.0, or

(c) is active at a temperature from about 50 degrees C. to about 100 degrees C.

7. A composition comprising the isolated, recombinant, or synthetic polypeptide of claim 3 .

8. The composition of claim 7 , wherein the composition is:

(a) a food or a feed,

(b) a food additive, a feed additive or a dietary supplement, or

(c) a pharmaceutical.

9. The phytase of claim 1 , wherein the phytase is derived from an E. coli , a Bacillus sp., a Hafnia sp., Perni ophora lycii , a Buttiauxella sp., a Citrohacter sp., or Aspergillus niger.

10. The phytase of claim 2 , wherein:

(a) the intracellular expression is in a gram-negative bacteria,

(b) the intracellular expression of (a), wherein the gram-negative bacteria is a Pseudomonas species, E. coli species, Ralstonia species, or Caulobacter species, or

(c) the intracellular expression of (a), wherein the gram-negative bacteria of (a) is a Pseudomonas , wherein the Pseudomonas is a Pseudomonas fluorescens.

11. The phytase of claim 2 , wherein the phytase is derived from an E. coli , a Bacillus sp., a Hafnia sp., Perniophora lycii , a Buttiauxella sp., a Citrohacter sp., or Aspergillus niger.