Protease variants

1. An isolated variant of the RP-II protease of SEQ ID NO: 2 having at least 92% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the variant comprises a substitution Gly 30 Ala corresponding to the amino acid sequence of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, and wherein the variant has the protease activity of SEQ ID NO: 2.

2. The variant of claim 1 , having at least 95% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

3. The variant of claim 1 , having at least 97% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

4. The variant of claim 1 , having at least 98% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

5. The variant of claim 1 , having at least 99% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

6. The variant of claim 1 , further comprising a substitution in position 91 corresponding to the amino acid sequence of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2.

7. The variant of claim 6 , further comprising the substitution G91A.

8. An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence, which encodes for a RP-II protease variant of claim 1 .

9. The polynucleotide of claim 8 , wherein the nucleic acid sequence has at least 90% identity to the nucleic acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1.

10. An isolated nucleic acid construct comprising the nucleic acid sequence of claim 8 , operably linked to one or more control sequences capable of directing the expression of the polypeptide in a suitable expression host.

11. A recombinant host cell comprising the nucleic acid construct of claim 10 .

12. A method for producing a variant of an RP-II protease, comprising:

a) cultivating the recombinant host cell of claim 11 under conditions conducive to the production of the RP-II protease variant; and

b) recovering the variant.

13. A detergent composition comprising the variant of an RP-II protease of claim 1 .