ALPHA AMYLASES IN FEED

1 . A method for identifying a pepsin resistant alpha amylase enzyme for use in a feed supplement comprising:

i) providing an alpha amylase enzyme;

ii) admixing said alpha amylase with corn based feed and pepsin, incubating at pH 3 and analysing the alpha amylase activity of said alpha amylase compared to a control sample;

wherein said control sample differs in that no pepsin is present during the incubation at pH 3; and

iii) selecting an alpha amylase enzyme which substantially maintains alpha amylase activity under the assay conditions.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the level of pepsin in step ii) is at least 9000 U/ml, at least 10500 U/ml, at least 11000 U/ml, at least 12000 U/ml, at least 13000 U/ml, at least 14000 U/ml, at least 15000 U/ml, at least 16000 U/ml, at least 17000 U/ml, at least 18000 U/ml, at least 19000 U/ml, at least 20000 U/ml, at least 21000 U/ml, at least 22000 U/ml or at least 23000 U/ml pepsin.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alpha amylase is incubated with pepsin for at least 2 hours, at least 2.5 hours, at least 3 hours or at least 3.5 hours.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alpha amylase maintains at least about 80% activity after the assay of step ii) compared with its activity in the absence of pepsin.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the feed supplement is for a monogastric animal.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the monogastric animal is selected from the group consisting of poultry, swine or fish.

7 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the feed supplement is for poultry.

8 . A method for preparing a feed supplement for a monogastric animal comprising admixing a pepsin resistant alpha amylase with at least one physiologically acceptable carrier selected from the group consisting of maltodextrin, limestone (calcium carbonate), cyclodextrin, wheat or a wheat component, sucrose, starch, Na 2 SO 4 , Talc, PVA, sorbitol, benzoate, sorbiate, glycerol, sucrose, propylene glycol, 1,3-propane diol, glucose, parabens, sodium chloride, citrate, acetate, phosphate, calcium, metabisulfite, formate and mixtures thereof.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the pepsin resistant amylase is identified by the method of claim 1 .

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the pepsin resistant amylase has an amino acid sequence:

i) as set forth in SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 3;

ii) as set forth in SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 3 except for one or several amino acid additions/insertions, deletions or substitutions;

iii) having at least 85% identity to SEQ ID No. 1 or at least 70% identity to SEQ ID No. 3;

iv) which is produced by expression of a nucleotide sequence comprising the sequence of SEQ ID No. 2 or SEQ ID No. 4;

v) which is produced by expression of a nucleotide sequence which differs from SEQ ID No. 2 or SEQ ID No. 4 due to the degeneracy of the genetic code;

vi) which is produced by expression of a nucleotide sequence which differs from SEQ ID No. 2 or SEQ ID No. 4 by one or several nucleotide additions/insertions, deletions or substitutions; or

vii) which is produced by expression of a nucleotide sequence which has at least 70% identity to SEQ ID No. 2 or SEQ ID No. 4.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the pepsin resistant alpha amylase on gap alignment with SEQ ID No. 1 comprises any one or more of the following amino acids selected from the group consisting of: K88; I103; H133; Y175; Y290; F292; R442 and H450, wherein the amino acid numbering relates to SEQ ID No. 1.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the pepsin resistant alpha amylase comprises one or more of the following amino acid sequences:

(SEQ ID NO: 7)

i)

SAIKSL;

(SEQ ID NO: 8)

ii)

DVVINH;

(SEQ ID NO: 9)

iii)

SGEHLI;

(SEQ ID NO: 10)

iv)

NRIYKF;

(SEQ ID NO: 11)

v)

PLHYQFHA;

(SEQ ID NO: 12)

vi)

YVGRQN;

and

(SEQ ID NO: 13)

vii)

ETWHDI,

or comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 80% or at least 85% or at least 90% identity to any of i) to vii).

13 - 59 . (canceled)

60 . A method of increasing weight gain in poultry or swine comprising feeding said poultry or swine a feedstuff comprising a pepsin resistant alpha amylase.

61 . The method of claim 60 , wherein said feedstuff results in a reduction in the expression of endogenous alpha amylase mRNA.

62 - 70 . (canceled)