Polypeptides Having Endoglucanase Activity and Polynucleotides Encoding Same

Abstract

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having endoglucanase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods for producing and using the polypeptides.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An isolated polypeptide having endoglucanase activity, selected from the group consisting of:
 a) a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence which has at least 72% identity with amino acids 1 to 759 of SEQ ID NO: 2;   b) a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence which has at least 86% identity with amino acids 65 to 347 of SEQ ID NO: 2;   c) a polypeptide which is encoded by a polynucleotide which hybridizes under at least low stringency conditions with (i) nucleotides 100 to 2376 of SEQ ID NO: 1, (ii) nucleotides 193 to 1041 of SEQ ID NO: 1, or (iii) a complementary strand of (i) or (ii);   d) a variant comprising a conservative substitution, deletion, and/or insertion of one or more amino acids of amino acids 1 to 759 of SEQ ID NO: 2;   e) a polypeptide encoded by a nucleotide sequence which comprises nucleotides 100 to 2376 of SEQ ID NO: 1 or nucleotides 193 to 1041 of SEQ ID NO: 1.   
     
     
         22 . The polypeptide of  claim 21 , which comprises amino acids 368 to 569 of SEQ ID NO: 2 has carbohydrate binding module activity. 
     
     
         23 . The polypeptide of  claim 21 , which has at least one of the following properties:
 a) a pI of 4.4,   b) a pH optimum of 9,   c) a temperature optimum of 40° C., or   d) stability at pH from 5 to 10.5.   
     
     
         24 . An enzyme composition comprising a polypeptide of  claim 21 . 
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 24 , which further comprises one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of proteases, cellulases, endoglucanases, beta-glucanases, hemicellulases, lipases, peroxidases, laccases, alpha-amylases, glucoamylases, cutinases, pectinases, reductases, oxidases, phenoloxidases, ligninases, pullulanases, pectate lyases, xyloglucanases, xylanases, pectin acetyl esterases, polygalacturonases, rhamnogalacturonases, pectin lyases, mannanases, pectin methylesterases, cellobiohydrolases, transglutaminases; or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         26 . A detergent composition comprising a polypeptide of  claim 21  and a surfactant. 
     
     
         27 . A textile treatment composition comprising a polypeptide of  claim 21 . 
     
     
         28 . A method for degradation of cellulose-containing biomass, comprising treating the biomass with an effective amount of a polypeptide of  claim 21 . 
     
     
         29 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence which encodes the polypeptide of  claim 24 . 
     
     
         30 . The polynucleotide of  claim 29 , having at least one mutation in the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, in which the mutant nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide consisting of amino acids 1 to 759 of SEQ ID NO: 2. 
     
     
         31 . An isolated polynucleotide hybridizing under at least low stringency conditions with (a) nucleotides 100 to 2376 of SEQ ID NO: 1, (b) nucleotides 193 to 1041 of SEQ ID NO: 1, (c) nucleotides 1104 to 1707 of SEQ ID NO: 1, or (d) a complementary strand of (a), (b) or (c). 
     
     
         32 . A nucleic acid construct comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 29  operably linked to one or more control sequences that direct the production of the polypeptide in an expression host. 
     
     
         33 . A recombinant expression vector comprising the nucleic acid construct of  claim 32 . 
     
     
         34 . A recombinant host cell comprising the nucleic acid construct of  claim 32 . 
     
     
         35 . A method for producing the polypeptide having endoglucanase activity, comprising
 (a) cultivating a host cell of  claim 34 ; and   (b) recovering the polypeptide.