Cellulases, the genes encoding them and uses thereof

A nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide having the enzymatic activity of a cellulase, selected from the group consisting of:

• (a) nucleic acid molecules encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence as depicted in FIGS. 19 (SEQ ID NO:17) or 21 (SEQ ID NO:33);
• (b) nucleic acid molecules encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence as depicted in FIGS. 23 (SEQ ID NO:35) or 27 (SEQ ID NO:37);
• (c) nucleic acid molecules comprising the coding sequence of the nucleotide sequence as depicted in FIGS. 19 (SEQ ID NO:30) or 21 (SEQ ID NO:32);
• (d) nucleic acid molecules comprising the coding sequence of the nucleotide sequence as depicted in FIGS. 23 (SEQ ID NO:34) or 27 (SEQ ID NO:36);
• (e) nucleic acid molecules encoding a.polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert contained in DSM 11024, DSM 11012, DSM 11025 or DSM 11014;
• (f) nucleic acid molecules encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA insert contained in DSM 11026, DSM 11011, DSM 11013 or DSM 11027;
• (g) nucleic acid molecules comprising the coding sequence of the DNA insert contained in DSM 11024, DSM 11012, DSM 11025 or DSM 11014;
• (h) nucleic acid molecules comprising the coding sequence of the DNA insert contained in DSM 11026, DSM 11011, DSM 11013 or DSM 11027;
• (i) nucleic acid molecules hybridizing under stringent conditions to a molecule of any one of (a), (c), (e) or (g);
• (j) nucleic acid molecules the coding sequence of which differs from the coding sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of any one of (a) to (i) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code;
• and
• (k) nucleic acid molecules encoding a polypeptide having cellulase activity and having an amino acid sequence which shows at least 80% identity to a sequence as depicted in FIGS. 19 (SEQ ID NO:31), 21 (SEQ ID NO:33), 23 (SEQ ID NO:35), or 27 (SEQ ID NO:37).