Bleaching enzymes and detergent compositions comprising them

Abstract

There is provided a bleaching enzyme capable of generating a bleaching chemical and having a high binding affinity for non-colored compounds present in stains on fabrics, said non-colored compounds having a molecular weight of at least 100, preferably of at least 1,000 and more preferably of at least 5,000. Furthermore, there is provided an enzymatic bleaching composition comprising said bleaching enzyme and a surfactant and a process for bleaching stains present of fabrics.

1 . Bleaching enzyme capable of generating a bleaching chemical and having a high binding affinity for non-coloured compounds present in stains on fabrics, characterised in that said non-coloured compounds have a molecular weight of at least 100, preferably of at least 1,000 and more preferably of at least 5,000.  
     
     
         2 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , wherein the enzyme comprises an enzyme part capable of generating a bleaching chemical which is coupled to a reagent having the high binding affinity for non-coloured compounds.  
     
     
         3 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , wherein the enzyme part is an oxidase and the bleaching chemical is hydrogen peroxide.  
     
     
         4 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , wherein the enzyme part is an oxidase selected from the group consisting of glucose oxidase, galactose oxidase and alcohol oxidase.  
     
     
         5 . Enzyme according to claims  1 - 2 , wherein the enzyme part is a haloperoxidase and the bleaching chemical is hypohalite.  
     
     
         6 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , wherein the enzyme part is a chloroperoxidase and the bleaching chemical is hypochlorite.  
     
     
         7 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , wherein the wherein the enzyme part is a Vanadium chloroperoxidase and the bleaching chemical is hypochlorite.  
     
     
         8 . Enzyme according to    claim 17   , wherein the Vanadium chloroperoxidase is  Curvularia inaequalis  chloroperoxidase.  
     
     
         9 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , where the enzyme part is a laccase or a peroxidase and the bleaching molecule is derived from an enhancer molecule that has reacted with the enzyme.  
     
     
         10 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , wherein the enzyme part is coupled to a reagent having a high binding affinity for pectin or beta-lactoglobulin when the pectin or beta-lactoglobulin is adsorbed onto a surface.  
     
     
         11 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , wherein the enzyme part is coupled to a reagent having a high binding affinity for pectin or beta-lactoglobulin when the pectin or beta-lactoglobulin is adsorbed onto a surface selected from cotton, polyester, or polyester/cotton fabric.  
     
     
         12 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , capable of binding to tomato stains present on fabrics.  
     
     
         13 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , wherein the reagent having a high binding affinity is a protein or a peptide.  
     
     
         14 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , wherein the reagent having a high binding affinity is an antibody, an antibody fragment, or a derivative thereof.  
     
     
         15 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , which is a fusion protein comprising a bleaching enzyme and all or part of a heavy chain immunoglobulin that was raised in Camelidae and has a specificity for non-coloured compounds present in stains on fabrics, said non-coloured compounds having a molecular weight of at least 5,000, preferably at least 10,000.  
     
     
         16 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , wherein the reagent having a high binding affinity has a chemical equilibrium constant K d  for the substance of less than 10 −4  M, preferably less than 10 −6  M.  
     
     
         17 . Enzyme according to    claim 1   , wherein the chemical equilibrium constant K d  is less than 10 −7 M.  
     
     
         18 . A multi-specific antibody or antibody or an analogous structure arranged so that at least one specificity is directed to non-coloured compounds present in stains on fabrics, said non-coloured compounds having a molecular weight of at least 5,000, preferably at least 10,000, and the others are directed to one or more bleaching enzymes.  
     
     
         19 . An antibody or antibody fragment or an analogous structure according to    claim 18   , having one specificity directed to non-coloured compounds present in stains on fabrics and one to a bleaching enzyme.  
     
     
         20 . Bleaching enzyme comprising an antibody or antibody fragment according to    claim 18   .  
     
     
         21 . Enzymatic bleaching composition comprising a bleaching enzyme according to    claim 1    and one or more surfactants.  
     
     
         22 . Enzymatic bleaching composition according to    claim 21   , wherein the enzyme produces hydrogen peroxide and comprising an activator which generates peracetic acid.  
     
     
         23 . Enzymatic bleaching composition according to    claim 21   , wherein the enzyme produces hydrogen peroxide and comprising and a transition metal catalyst.  
     
     
         24 . Process for bleaching stains present on fabrics, wherein stained fabrics are contacted with a solution comprising a bleaching enzyme according to    claim 1   .  
     
     
         25 . Process for bleaching stains present on fabrics, wherein stained fabrics are contacted with an enzymatic bleaching composition according to    claim 21   .