Modified xylanases exhibiting increased thermophilicity and alkalophilicity

Abstract

The present invention pertains to modified xylanase enzymes that exhibit increased thermostability and alkalophilicity, when compared with their native counterparts. Several modified xylanases exhibiting these properties are disclosed including xylanases with at least one modification at amino acid position 10, 27, 29, 75, 104, 105, 125, 129, 132, 135, 144, 157, 161, 162, or 165, or a combination thereof. Also included within the present invention is a modified xylanase that comprises at least one substituted amino acid residue and that may be characterized as having a maximum effective temperature (MET) between about 69° C. and about 78° C., wherein the modified xylanase is a Family 11 xylanase obtained from a Trichoderma sp.. The present invention also includes a modified Family 1p1 xylanase obtained from a Trichoderma sp. characterized as having a maximum effective pH (MEP) between about 5.8 and about 7.6. Modified xylanases characterized as having a MET between about 69° C. and about 78° C. and a MEP between about 5.8 and 7.6 are also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.