Procaspase-cleaving proteases and uses thereof

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to Botulinum toxin X (BoNT X) protein variants (e.g., BoNT X protease variants). The variants provided herein have been evolved to cleave procaspase-1. Some of the variants provided herein do not cleave the native substrate of BoNT X protease, VAMP1 protein. Further aspects of the disclosure relate to nucleic acids encoding the procaspase-1 cleaving polypeptides described herein and expression vectors comprising the nucleic acids, as well as host cells and fusion proteins comprising the procaspase-1 cleaving polypeptides described herein and kits comprising the procaspase-1 cleaving polypeptides, nucleic acids, fusion proteins, expression vectors, or host cells described herein. Further aspects of the disclosure relate to methods of producing BoNT X protein variants (e.g., BoNT X protease variants) and methods of using the BoNT X protein variants (e.g., BoNT X protease variants), for example, to induce cell death.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.