Thermolysin-like protease for cleaning insect body stains
A substrate or coating is provided that includes a protease with enzymatic activity toward a component of a biological stain. Also provided is a process for facilitating the removal of a biological stain is provided wherein an inventive substrate or coating including a protease is capable of enzymatically degrading of one or more components of the biological stain to facilitate biological stain removal from the substrate or said coating.
1. A method of facilitating the removal of a biological stain containing a protein component on a substrate or a coating comprising:
providing a liquid coating material;
associating an active extracellular portion of bacterial neutral thermolysin-like protease from Geobacillus stearothermophilus with said liquid coating material to form a liquid bioactive coating material at a pH of 10.0 to 11.0, such that said protease is capable of enzymatically degrading a protein component of a biological stain, wherein said protease has a specific activity in excess of 20,000 U/g in said liquid bioactive coating material.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said protease is in solution in said liquid bioactive coating material.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid coating material comprises an alcohol, said alcohol present at less than 0.8% by weight.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid coating material comprises ammonia, or a derivative of ammonia.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying said liquid bioactive coating material to a biological stain on a coating material or substrate, thereby promoting removal of said stain.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said biological stain is an insect stain.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein said biological stain is present on a substrate.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said substrate is glass.
9. A liquid bioactive coating material for facilitating removal of a biological stain containing a protein component comprising:
a liquid coating material; and
an active extracellular portion of bacterial neutral thermolysin-like protease from Geobacillus stearothermophilus , said protease capable of degrading a biological stain containing a protein component wherein said protease is associated with said liquid coating material,
wherein the liquid bioactive coating material has a pH of 10.0 to 11.0, wherein said protease has a specific activity in excess of 20,000 U/g in said liquid bioactive coating material.
10. The liquid bioactive coating material of claim 9 wherein said protease is in solution.
11. The liquid bioactive coating material of claim 9 wherein said liquid bioactive coating material comprises an alcohol, said alcohol present at less than 0.8% by weight.
12. The liquid bioactive coating material of claim 9 wherein said liquid bioactive coating material comprises ammonia, or a derivative of ammonia.