US 5,700,686 A · Protease-treated and purified cellulase compositions and methods for reducing backstaining during enzymatic stonewashing

Abstract

During the enzymatic "stone washing" of a denim fabric and/or garments, an undesirable redeposition of blue dye often occurs on the surfaces of the denim. The invention relates to a means of overcoming this problem using an enzyme composition comprised of Trichoderma endoglucanase and Trichoderma cellobiohydrolase that has been partially digested by a protease enzyme to separate its core and binding domains. The use of this composition reduces the redeposition of the blue dye and hence improves the stone washing process relative to using a redepositing or backstaining cellulase.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A cellulase enzyme composition that produces low backstaining of indigo-dyed denim relative to a natural Trichoderma cellulase, the enzyme composition comprising a protease-treated Trichoderma cellulase that is a product of a process comprising:

a. subjecting a Trichoderma cellulase containing a cellobiohydrolase enzyme and an endoglucanase enzyme to a limited protease treatment by adding a protease to the cellulase, the limited protease treatment being defined by using a weight ratio of protease to cellulase multiplied by an average treatment time that is substantially between 1.0 and 10,000 gram minutes per gram,
b. stopping the protease reaction by chilling or adjusting the pH, and
c purifying the cellulase by substantially removing the added protease so as to define the composition.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Protease-treated and purified cellulase compositions and methods for reducing backstaining during enzymatic stonewashing

Life of this patent

Protease-treated and purified cellulase compositions and methods for reducing backstaining during enzymatic stonewashing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23