| abstract |
The present invention relates to amino acid sequence variants of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) proteases that cleave (VAMP1, VAMP2, VAMP7, VAMP8, SNAP25, SNAP23, PTEN, etc.) and methods of evolution. In some embodiments, the proteases disclosed by the invention are useful for cleaving proteins present in a cell, which is in an intracellular environment.In some embodiments, the proteases disclosed by the invention are useful for to treat diseases associated with increased or aberrant expression or activity of VAMP7, VAMP8, SNAP23 or PTEN, e.g., cancer and neurological disorders Certain aspects of the present invention relate to methods of producing BoNT protease variants by directed evolution keep on going. |