Process for dyeing textiles and enzymes used therein

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process wherein one or more dye precursors, e.g., indole, are provided to a textile and converted by one or more enzymes, e.g., an oxidizing enzyme, to provide the textile with a dye, e.g. indigo. At least the oxidizing enzyme is a hybrid enzyme including a binding domain that is suitable to bind the enzyme to the textile and / or increase the affinity of the enzyme for the textile, in particular, a cellulose binding domain (CBD).

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a method of dyeing textiles, especially a method of dyeing textiles using enzymes. Background technique [0002] Vat dyes are insoluble dyes that require a reducing agent to dissolve in water. Conventionally, dyeing with vat dyes involves applying the dye to the textile in its soluble reduced form, followed by oxidation of the dye back to the insoluble form to impart color to the textile. [0003] Indigo is a vat dye with formula I: [0004] [0005] Substitution of the aromatic rings of indigo with groups such as halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, amino, aryl, aryloxy, and carbonyl provides a wide variety of colors other than blue, and they are Part of the so-called derivatives of indigo. [0006] A large part of indigo and indigo derivatives is produced synthetically. The Heumann and Pfleger syntheses were the original synthetic routes for indigo manufacture on an industrial scale; variations of these methods are still us...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0012] Another problem with the known indigo dyeing process is that textiles - especially cellulose - can be damaged by prolonged exposure to alkaline process solutions and the chemical products present in them

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