Enzymes useful for changing the properties of polyester

Abstract

A method is provided for enzymatically modifying a polyester resin, film, fiber, yarn, fabric or textile to modify the characteristics thereof.

1 . A method for modifying a polyester comprising treating said polyester with a polyesterase enzyme for a time and under conditions to modify the properties of said polyester.  
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said polyester is a resin, film, fiber, yarn or fabric.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said polyester is an aromatic polyester.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said polyester fiber, yarn or fabric is a textile product and does not comprise a stain.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said polyesterase has at least 10% greater hydrolysis in a UV and/or a MB assay than the control.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said polyesterase has at least 50% greater hydrolysis in a UV and/or a MB assay than the control.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said polyesterase has at least 100% greater hydrolysis in a UV and/or a MB assay than the control.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said textile product is modified in its properties of pilling, pilling prevention, weight, feel, appearance and/or luster.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said polyester textile is treated prior to the application of a finish.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said polyesterase is derived from animal, plant, fungal or bacterial origin.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said polyesterase is derived from  Absidia  spp.;  Acremonium  spp.;  Agaricus  spp.;  Anaeromyces  spp.;  Aspergillus  spp.;  Aeurobasidium  spp.;  Cephalosporum  spp.;  Chaetomium  spp.;  Coprinus  spp.;  Dactyllum  spp.;  Fusarium  spp.;  Gliocladium  spp.;  Helminthosporum  spp.;  Humicola  spp.;  Mucor  spp.;  Neurospora  spp.;  Neocallimastix  spp.;  Orpinomyces  spp.;  Penicillium  spp;  Phanerochaete  spp.;  Phlebia  spp.;  Piromyces  spp.;  Pseudomonas  spp.;  Rhizopus  spp.;  Schizophyllum  spp.;  Trametes  spp.;  Trichoderma  spp.; and  Ulocladium  spp.;  Zygorhynchus  spp.;  Bacillus  spp.;  Cellulomonas  spp.;  Clostridium  spp.;  Myceliophthora  spp.;  Pseudomonas  spp.;  Thermomonospora  spp.;  Thermomyces  spp.;  Streptomyces  spp.;  Fibrobacter  spp.;  Candida  spp.;  Pichia  spp.;  Rhodotorula  spp.; or  Sporobolomyces  spp.  
   
   
       12 . A method for improving the textile characteristics of a polyester article, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) obtaining a polyesterase enzyme;    (b) contacting said polyesterase enzyme with said polyester article under conditions and for a time suitable for said polyesterase to produce a modified polyester article and produce a modified polyester article.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said polyester article comprises a fiber, yarn or fabric and said fiber yarn or fabric is subsequently incorporated into a textile.  
   
   
       14 . A polyester article produced according to the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       15 . The polyester article according to  claim 14 , wherein said composition has an increased resistance to stains.  
   
   
       16 . The polyester article according to  claim 14 , wherein subsequent to said treating, said composition is treated with a cationic compound.  
   
   
       17 . The use of polyesterase to improve the textile characteristics of a polyester.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said treatment occurs in the presence of polypropylene glycol or glycerol.  
   
   
       19 . A method or determining the polyesterase activity of a biological material comprising the steps of: 
 (a) preparing an aqueous solution of a biological material; and    (b) subjecting said aqueous composition comprising said biological material to conditions and for a time wherein it is determined whether said biological material comprises polyesterase activity.    
   
   
       20 . A kit for carrying out an assay for polyesterase activity comprising: 
 (a) a sample of polyester;    (b) instructions for preparing a biological material for assaying whether said biological material comprises polyesterase activity.