Abstract: The present invention relates to pectate lyase variants exhibiting alterations relative to a parent enzyme exhibiting pectate lyase activity as its major enzymatic activity; to a method of producing such enzymes; and to methods for using such enzymes in the textile, detergent and cellulose fiber processing industries. Compared to the parent enzyme, the pectate lyase variants of the present invention exhibit improved stability in detergents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to pectate lyase variants exhibiting alterations relative to a parent enzyme exhibiting pectate lyase activity as its major enzymatic activity; to a method of producing such enzymes; and to methods for using such enzymes in the textile, detergent and cellulose fiber processing industries. Compared to the parent enzyme, the pectate lyase variants of the present invention exhibit improved stability in detergents.

Abstract: Cellulose-containing fabric is desized by treating with an enzyme hybrid having a catalytically active amino acid sequence of an enzyme such as a lipase or an amylase linked to an amino acid sequence containing a cellulose-binding domain. The enzyme amino acid sequence may be of an .alpha.-amylase obtainable from a species of Bacillus such as Bacillus licheniformis, or of a lipase obtainable from a species of Humicola, Candida, Pseudomonas or Bacillus. The cellulose-binding domain may be from a cellulase, a xylanase, a mannanase, an arabinofuranosidase, an acetylesterase or a chitinase. The enzyme hybrid is obtained from a transformed host cell containing an expression cassette having a DNA sequence encoding the enzyme hybrid. A desizing composition is formed containing the enzyme hybrid and a wetting agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for removal or bleaching of soiling or stains present on cellulosic fabric, wherein the fabric is contacted in aqueous medium with a modified enzyme (enzyme hybrid) which comprises a catalytically active amino acid sequence of a non-cellulolytic enzyme linked to an amino acid sequence comprising a cellulose-binding domain. The invention further relates to a detergent composition comprising an enzyme hybrid of the type in question and a surfactant, and to a process for washing soiled or stained cellulosic fabric, wherein the fabric is washed in an aqueous medium to which is added such a detergent composition.