Methods for producing polypeptides in protease-deficient mutants of Trichoderma

A method of producing a heterologous enzyme, the method comprising cultivating an isolated mutant of a parent Trichoderma reesei strain in a medium for the production of the heterologous enzyme;

• wherein the parent strain comprises a first aspartic protease gene encoding a first aspartic protease, wherein the mutant strain at least 95% deficient in the production of the first aspartic protease compared to the parent Trichoderma reesei strain when cultivated under identical conditions;
• wherein the first aspartic protease is a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:
• 4 or amino acids 21 to 407 of SEQ ID NO:
• 4;
• and
• wherein the mutant strain further comprises a polynucleotide encoding an enzyme that is heterologous to the parent Trichoderma reesei strain.

An isolated mutant of a parent Trichoderma strain, wherein the parent strain comprises a first aspartic protease gene encoding a first aspartic protease, wherein the mutant strain is at least 95% deficient in the production of the first aspartic protease compared to the parent Trichoderma strain when cultivated under identical conditions;

• wherein the first aspartic protease is selected from:
• (a) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:
• 4 or amino acids 21 to 407 of SEQ ID NO:
• 4;
• and
• (b) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:
• 3 or nucleotides 61 to 1299 of SEQ ID NO:
• 3, or the cDNA thereof;
• and
• wherein the mutant strain further comprises a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide that is heterologous to the parent Trichoderma strain.

An isolated mutant of a parent Trichoderma reesei strain, wherein the parent strain comprises a first aspartic protease gene encoding a first aspartic protease, wherein the mutant strain at least 95% deficient in the production of the first aspartic protease compared to the parent Trichoderma reesei strain when cultivated under identical conditions;

• wherein the first aspartic protease is a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:
• 4 or amino acids 21 to 407 of SEQ ID NO:
• 4;
• and
• wherein the mutant strain further comprises a polynucleotide encoding an enzyme that is heterologous to the parent Trichoderma reesei strain.