Proteases and variants thereof

1. An isolated RP-II protease selected from the group consisting of

(a) a protease which comprises an amino acid sequence that has at least 97% identity with the sequence of amino acids from position 1 through position 215 of SEQ ID NO: 8 which has protease activity, and

(b) a fragment of the sequence of amino acids from position 1 through position 215 of SEQ ID NO: 8 which has protease activity.

2. The RP-II protease of claim 1 which has an amino acid sequence that has at least 97% identity with the sequence of amino adds from position 1 through position 215 of SEQ ID NO: 8.

3. The RP-II protease of claim 1 which has the sequence of amino acids from position 1 through position 215 of SEQ ID NO: 8.

4. The RP-II protease of claim 1 which has the sequence of amino acids from position −62 through position 215 of SEQ ID NO: 8.

5. The RP-II protease of claim 1 which has the sequence of amino acids from position −88 to position 215 of SEQ ID NO: 8.

6. A detergent composition comprising a protease of claim 1 and a surfactant.

7. An isolated RP-II protease which has the sequence of amino acids from position 1 through position 215 of SEQ ID NO: 12 or a fragment thereof that has protease activity.

8. The RP-II protease of claim 7 which has the sequence of amino acids from position −62 through position 215 of SEQ ID NO: 12.

9. The RP-II protease of claim 7 which has the sequence of amino acids from position −87 through position 215 of SEQ ID NO: 12.

10. A detergent composition comprising a protease of claim 7 and a surfactant.

11. A modified protease of the sequence of amino acids from position 1 through position 215 of SEQ ID NO:8 or the sequence of amino acids from position 1 through position 215 of SEQ ID NO: 12 and further comprising one or more of the following mutations:

(a) a substitution, a deletion and/or an insertion of an amino acid to replace or remove an asparagine and/or glycine in an asparagine-glycine sequence;

(b) a substitution or deletion of an amino acid to replace or remove any glutamate and/or aspartate;

(c) a substitution of a proline for the amino acid occupying the first and/or second position following any glutamate or aspartate;

(d) a substitution or deletion of an amino acid to replace or remove any methionine;

(e) a substitution or deletion of an amino acid to replace or remove any tryptophan at the surface of the protease; and

(f) a substitution of an amino acid to replace any tyrosine at the surface of the protease,

wherein the modified protease has protease activity.

12. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising a substitution, a deletion and/or an insertion of an amino acid to replace or remove an asparagine and/or glycine in an asparagine-glycine sequence.

13. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising a substitution of asparagine and/or glycine in an asparagine-glycine sequence with A, P, Q, S, T or Y.

14. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising one or more of the following mutations

N45{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y};

N45{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}+G46{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y};

N45{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}+N74{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y};

N45{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}+N74{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}+N192{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y};

N45{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}+N192{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y};

G46{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y};

N74{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y};

N74{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}+G75{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}:

N74{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}+N192{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y};

G75{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y};

N192{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y};

N192{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}+G193{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}; and

G193{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}.

15. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising a substitution or deletion of any glutamate and/or aspartate.

16. The modified pratease of claim 11 , comprising the substitution of any glutamate or aspartate with alanine.

17. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising E81A, E147A, E155A, E207A, D5A, D6A, D69A, D96A, D97A, D104A, D135A, D156A, D165A, and/or D177A.

18. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising a substitution of a proline for the amino acid occupying the first and/or second position following any glutamate or aspartate.

19. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising a substitution or deletion of any methionine.

20. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising a substitution of methionine with A, E, I, K, L, N, Q, or S.

21. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising one or more of M67{*,S,A,N,Q,K}; M79{*,S,A,N,Q,K}; M137{*,S,A,N,Q,K}; M148{*,S,A,N,Q,K}; M163{*,S,A,N,Q,K}, and M175{*,S,A,N,Q,K}.

22. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising a substitution or deletion of an amino acid to replace or remove any tryptophan at the surface of the protease.

23. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising a substitution of any trptophan with F, G, Q, or T.

24. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising W146{F,G,Q,T,}.

25. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising a substitution of an amino acid to replace any tyrosine at the surface of the protease.

26. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising a substitution of tyrosine with phenylalanine or tryptophan.

27. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising a substitution of tyrosine at position 19, 24, 50, 57, 64, 83, 88, 96, 113, 132, 157, 168, 185, and/or 211.

28. The modified protease of claim 11 , comprising

Y19{F,W}

Y24{F,W}

Y50{F,W}

Y57{F,W}

Y64{F,W}

Y83{F,W}

Y88{F,W}

Y96{F,W}

Y113{F,W}

Y132{F,W}

Y161{F,W}

Y162{F,W}

Y190{F,W} and/or

Y211{F,W}.

29. A detergent composition comprising a modified protease of claim 11 and a surfactant.

30. A modified protease of the sequence of amino acids from position 1 through position 215 of SEQ ID NO:8 or the sequence of amino acids from position 1 through position 215 of SEQ ID NO: 12 comprising the following mutation:

N45{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}+N74{*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}+N187(*,A,Q,S,P,T,Y}

wherein the modified protease has protease activity.