Cellulase preparations containing reducing agent and method of processing fiber
View Patent ↗A cellulase preparation comprising an endoglucanase derived from Zygomycetes, a cellulose-binding-domain-deleted endoglucanase, or a modified or homologous protein thereof, together with a reducing agent is disclosed. Further, a method of treating cellulose-containing fabric, comprising the step of treating the fabric with the cellulase preparation to improve a property of the fabric, a method of deinking waste paper, comprising the step of treating the waste paper with the cellulase preparation. together with a deinking agent, and a method of improving freeness of paper pulp, comprising the step of treating the paper pulp with the cellulase preparation, are disclosed.
1. A composition comprising an endoglucanase and a reducing agent, wherein said endoglucanase is selected from the group consisting of:
(a) the polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1.
(b) the polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 lacking a cellulose binding domain,
(c) a polypeptide having 90% or more homology with the polypeptide of (a),
(d) a polypeptide having 90% or more homology with the polypeptide of (b), and
(e) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide the complement of which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein said stringent hybridization conditions comprise hybridization at 42° C. for 15 hours, two washes with 0.5 ×SSC containing 0.4% SDS and 6 mol/L urea at 42° C. for 20 minutes, and one wash with 5 ×SSC at room temperature for 10 minutes, wherein said polypeptides (c), (d) and (e) have endoglucanase activity.
2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said reducing agent is present in an amount of 0.01 to 50% by weight.
3. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium thiosulfate, sodium sulfite, and thiourea.
4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition is in the form of a granule or a stabilized liquid, wherein said granule does not have a dustability.
5. A method of improving a property of a cellulose-containing fabric, comprising treating a cellulose-containing fabric with a composition according to claim 1 , thereby improving property of a cellulose-containing fabric.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said improved property is a color clarification of said fabric.
7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said
improved property is a removal of fuzz from said fabric.
8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said improved property is an addition of a stonewash-like appearance and texture to said fabric.
9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said improved property is an improvement of touch and appearance of said fabric.
10. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said improved property is a softening of said fabric.
11. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said treating is soaking or rinsing said fabric in a composition of claim 1 .
12. A method of deinking waste paper, comprising treating waste paper with a composition of claim 1 in the presence of a deinking agent, thereby deinking waste paper.
13. A method of improving a freeness of paper pulp, comprising treating paper pulp with a composition of claim 1 , thereby improving a freeness of paper pulp.
14. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said endoglucanase is the polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1.
15. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said endoglucanase is the polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 lacking a cellulose binding domain.