Polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and uses thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity, wherein the polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 60% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35, 38, 41, 44 and/or 47; (b) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 60% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45 and/or 48; (c) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence which hybridises under at least high stringency conditions with the complementary strand of SEQ ID NO: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45 and/or 48; and (d) a fragment of the polypeptide of (a), (b), or (c), that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

1 . A polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity, wherein the polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5;   (b) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6;   (c) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence which hybridises under at least high stringency conditions with the complementary strand of SEQ ID NO:6; and   (d) a fragment of the polypeptide of (a), (b), or (c), that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.   
     
     
         2 . A polynucleotide, wherein the polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence that is selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6,   (b) a nucleotide sequence which hybridises under at least high stringency conditions with the complementary strand of SEQ ID NO:6,   (c) a fragment which is at least 100 nucleotides in length of a nucleotide sequence as defined in (a) or (b),   (d) a nucleotide sequence which is degenerate as a result of the genetic code to a nucleotide sequence as defined in any one of (a), (b), or (c), and   (e) a nucleotide sequence which is the complement of a nucleotide sequence as defined in (a), (b), (c), or (d).   
     
     
         3 . The polynucleotide according to  claim 2 , which encodes a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5;   (b) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:6;   (c) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence which hybridises under at least high stringency conditions with the complementary strand of SEQ ID NO:6; and   (d) a fragment of the polypeptide of (a), (b), or (c), that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.   
     
     
         4 . A nucleic acid construct comprising the polynucleotide according to  claim 2 . 
     
     
         5 . The nucleic acid construct according to  claim 4  which is an expression vector, wherein the polynucleotide is operably linked to at least one control sequence for the expression of the polynucleotide in a host cell. 
     
     
         6 . A host cell comprising the polypeptide according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . The host cell according to  claim 6  which is a fungal cell. 
     
     
         8 . A process for producing the polypeptide according to  claim 1 , which process comprises:
 (a) cultivating a host cell comprising the polypeptide under conditions conducive to the production of the polypeptide, and   (b) optionally, recovering the polypeptide.   
     
     
         9 . A composition comprising:
 (a) the polypeptide according to  claim 1 , and   (b) a cellulase and/or a hemicellulase and/or a pectinase.   
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the cellulase is a cellobiohydrolase I, a cellobiohydrolase II, an endo-β-1,4-glucanase, a β-glucosidase or a β-(1,3)(1,4)-glucanase. 
     
     
         11 . The composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the hemicellulase is an endoxylanase, a β-xylosidase, an α-L-arabinofuranosidase, an α-D-glucuronidase, an acetyl-xylan esterase, a feruloyl esterase, a coumaroyl esterase, an α-galactosidase, a β-galactosidase, a β-mannanase or a β-mannosidase. 
     
     
         12 . The composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the composition is a whole fermentation broth. 
     
     
         13 . A process for degrading cellulosic material, the process comprising contacting the cellulosic material with the polypeptide according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A process for producing a fermentation product, the process comprising:
 (a) enzymatically hydrolysing a cellulosic material with the polypeptide according to  claim 1 ;   (b) fermenting the enzymatically hydrolysed cellulosic material to produce the fermentation product; and   (c) optionally, recovering the fermentation product.   
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 14 , wherein the fermentation product is an alcohol, optionally ethanol. 
     
     
         16 . A host cell comprising the polynucleotide according to  claim 2 . 
     
     
         17 . A process for degrading cellulosic material, the process comprising contacting the cellulosic material with the composition according to  claim 9 . 
     
     
         18 . A process for producing a fermentation product, the process comprising:
 (a) enzymatically hydrolysing a cellulosic material with the composition according to  claim 9 ;   (b) fermenting the enzymatically hydrolysed cellulosic material to produce the fermentation product; and   (c) optionally, recovering the fermentation product.