Pectin degrading alcohol from i(Bacillus licheniformis)

Abstract

Pectin degrading enzymes derived from or endogenous to Bacillus licheniformis or other Bacillus species which are at least 99 % homologous to Bacillus Licheniformis based on aligned 16S rDNA sequences have optimum activity at pH higher than 8. The pectin degrading enzymes belong to the enzyme classes pectate lyases (EC 4.2.2.2), pectin lyases (EC 4.2.2.10) and polygalacturonases (EC 3.2.1.15) and are useful in industrial processes under alkaline conditions such as in textile processing and as an active ingredient, e.g. in laundry detergents and hard surface cleaning products.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a preparation of pectin-degrading enzymes; preferably to microbial pectin-degrading enzymes, in particular to microbial enzymes which exhibit pectin-degrading activity as their main enzyme activity in the neutral and alkaline pH range, especially to sources Cloned pectin-degrading enzymes from Bacillus licheniformis; the invention also relates to methods of producing such enzymes and methods of using these enzymes in the textile, detergent and cellulosic fiber processing industries. Background of the invention

[0002] Pectin polymers are important components of plant cell walls. Pectin is a heteropolysaccharide whose backbone consists of alternating homogalacturonans (smooth regions) and rhamnogalacturonans (hairy regions). The smooth region is a linear polymer of 1,4-linked α-D-galacturonic acid. Galacturonic acid residues can be methylated to varying degrees at the carboxyl group, usually in a non-random manner to fully methylate the...