Treating cellulosic materials with cellulases from chrysosporium

• US 6,015,707 A
• Filed: 06/29/1998
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Danisco US, Inc. (International Flavors & Fragrances Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mark A. Emalfarb
• Inventors: Ben-Bassat, Arie, Emalfarb, Mark Aaron, Sinitsyn, Arkady Panteleimonovich
• Primary Examiner(s): Wax, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US09/106,026
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 435/263, 435/277, 435/278, 8/401
• US Class Current: 435/263
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/12 Soft surfaces, e.g. textile
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/38645 containing cellulase
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/145 Fungal isolates
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2437 Cellulases (3.2.1.4; 3.2.1.74; 3.2.1.91; 3.2.1.150)
• CPC Class Codes: C12R 2001/645 Fungi ; Processes using fungi
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 302/01004 Cellulase (3.2.1.4), i.e. endo-1,4-beta-glucanase
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 4/40 using enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 16/003 with enzymes or microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2101/06 cellulosic
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/02 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/158 with other compounds

Abstract

The subject invention relates to novel compositions of neutral and/or alkaline cellulase and methods for obtaining neutral and/or alkaline cellulase compositions from Chrysosporium cultures, in particular Chrysosporium lucknowense. This invention also provides mutants and methods of generating mutants of Chrysosporium capable of producing neutral and/or alkaline cellulase. This invention also relates to the genes encoding the enzymes comprising the neutral and/or alkaline cellulase composition. In addition, this invention provides methods of culturing Chrysosporium to produce neutral and/or alkaline cellulases. The neutral and/or alkaline cellulase compositions of the subject invention can be used in a variety of processes including stone washing of clothing, detergent processes, deinking and biobleaching of paper & pulp and treatment of waste streams.

Claims

1. A method of enzymatically treating cellulosic fibers or fabrics, comprising treating said fibers or fabrics with a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase whose amino acid sequence is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said method is carried out at a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

2. A method of enzymatically treating cellulosic fibers or fabrics, comprising treating said fibers or fabrics with a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase isolated or obtained from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said method is carried out at a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

3. A method of stonewashing jeans, comprising treating said jeans with a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase whose amino acid sequence is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said method is carried out at a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is chosen from the group consisting of Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium pannorum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lobatum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, and Chrysosporium tropicum.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense Garg 27K, having accession number VKM F-3500D.

7. A method of stonewashing jeans, comprising treating said jeans with a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase isolated or obtained from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said method is carried out at a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is chosen from the group consisting of Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium pannorum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lobatum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, and Chrysosporium tropicum.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense Garg 27K, having accession number VKM F-3500D.

11. A method of enhancing the softness or feel of cellulose- or cotton-containing fabrics, comprising treating said fabrics with a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase whose amino acid sequence is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said method is carried out at a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is chosen from the group consisting of Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium pannorum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lobatum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, and Chrysosporium tropicum.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense Garg 27K, having accession number VKM F-3500D.

15. A method of enhancing the softness or feel of cellulose- or cotton-containing fabrics, comprising treating said fabrics with a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase isolated or obtained from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said method is carried out at a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is chosen from the group consisting of Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium pannorum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lobatum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, and Chrysosporium tropicum.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense Garg 27K, having accession number VKM F-3500D.

19. A method of enhancing the cleaning ability of a detergent composition, comprising adding to said detergent composition a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase whose amino acid sequence is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said detergent composition has a a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

20. The methd of claim 19, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is chosen from the group consisting of Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium pannorum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lobatum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, and Chrysosporium tropicum.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense Garg 27K, having accession number VKM F-3500D.

23. A method of enhancing the cleaning ability of a detergent composition, comprising adding to said detergent composition a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase isolated or obtained from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said detergent composition has a a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is chosen from the group consisting of Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium pannorum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lobatum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, and Chrysosporium tropicum.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense Garg 27K, having accession number VKM F-3500D.

27. A method of biopolishing, defibrillating, bleaching, dying, or desizing textiles, comprising treating said textiles with a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase whose amino acid sequence is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said method is carried out at a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is chosen from the group consisting of Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium pannorum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lobatum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, and Chrysosporium tropicum.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense Garg 27K, having accession number VKM F-3500D.

31. A method of biopolishing, defibrillating, bleaching, dying, or desizing textiles, comprising treating said textiles with a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase isolated or obtained from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said method is carried out at a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is chosen from the group consisting of Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium pannorum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lobatum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, and Chrysosporium tropicum.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense Garg 27K, having accession number VKM F-3500D.

35. A method of deinking or biobleaching paper or pulp, comprising treating said paper or pulp with a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase whose amino acid sequence is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said method is carried out at a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is chosen from the group consisting of Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium pannorum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lobatum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, and Chrysosporium tropicum.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense Garg 27K, having accession number VKM F-3500D.

39. A method of deinking or biobleaching paper or pulp, comprising treating said paper or pulp with a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase isolated or obtained from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said method is carried out at a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is chosen from the group consisting of Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium pannorum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lobatum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, and Chrysosporium tropicum.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense Garg 27K, having accession number VKM F-3500D.

43. A method of restoring color to textiles, comprising treating said textiles with a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase whose amino acid sequence is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said method is carried out at a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is chosen from the group consisting of Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium pannorum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lobatum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, and Chrysosporium tropicum.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense Garg 27K, having accession number VKM F-3500D.

47. A method of restoring color to textiles, comprising treating said textiles with a neutral and/or alkaline cellulase isolated or obtained from a fungus of the genus Chrysosporium, provided that, when said method is carried out at a pH below 7.0, said fungus is not Chrysosporium pruinosum.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is chosen from the group consisting of Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium pannorum, Chrysosporium pruinosum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lobatum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, and Chrysosporium tropicum.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said Chrysosporium fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the fungus is Chrysosporium lucknowense Garg 27K, having accession number VKM F-3500D.