Kao Corporation

Shitsuw Shikata

Masafumi Nomura

Susumu Ito

Katsuya Ozaki

Mitsuyoshi Okuda

Katsuhisa Saeki

Hiromi Kubota

Jun Hitomi

Yasushi Kageyama

Mikio Takaiwa

Kenzo Koike

Kikuhiko Okamoto

Nobuyuki Ogura

Shuji Kawai

Hitoshi Tanimoto

Toshihiro Oki

Tsutomu Tokumoto

Masaki Tsumadori

Tohru Kobayashi

Kazushi Oshino

Yuji Hatada

Akira Takei

Shigeo Inoue

Yasunao Wada

Tadashi Yoshimatsu

Hajime Mori

Hiromi Okoshi

Miyuki Kasai

Atsushi Suzumatsu

Tomokazu Sato

Yuichi Ota

An alkaline protease having the following properties; a gene encoding the same; a microorganism producing the same; and washing compositions containing the same; (i) acting over a broad pH value range of 4 to 13 and achieving, at pH 6 to 12, 80% or more the activity at the optimum pH value; (ii) when treated at 40&#xb0; C. for 30 minutes, being stable over a pH value range of 6 to 11; (iii) having an isoelectric point of about 8.9 to 9.1; and (iv) having casein digesting activity that is not inhibited by oleic acid. The alkaline protease of the present invention is highly stable to various surface active agents and fatty acids, and exhibits high stability to oxidizing agents, and is therefore useful as an enzyme to be used in detergents for automatic dishwashers and laundry detergents, both containing bleaching components.

Alkaline protease

An alkaline protease having the following properties; a gene encoding the same; a microorganism producing the same; and washing compositions containing the same; (i) acting over a broad pH value range of 4 to 13 and achieving, at pH 6 to 12, 80% or more the activity at the optimum pH value; (ii) when treated at 40&deg; C. for 30 minutes, being stable over a pH value range of 6 to 11; (iii) having an isoelectric point of about 8.9 to 9.1; and (iv) having casein digesting activity that is not inhibited by oleic acid. The alkaline protease of the present invention is highly stable to various surface active agents and fatty acids, and exhibits high stability to oxidizing agents, and is therefore useful as an enzyme to be used in detergents for automatic dishwashers and laundry detergents, both containing bleaching components.

The present invention provides a detergent composition which is excellent in enzyme stability and exhibits excellent detergency particularly to protein-related dirt of socks and other items even under laundering conditions at a lower temperature. That is, the present invention provides a detergent composition comprising specific proportions of (a) an anionic surfactant, (b) a chlorine scavenger, (c) a protease whose &agr;-keratin-hydrolyzing activity at 10&deg; C. is not less than 0.09&times;10 &mgr;g/mPU&middot;min and (d) a protease whose &agr;-keratin-hydrolyzing activity at 10&deg; C. is less than 0.09&times;10 &mgr;g/mPU&middot;min.

Detergent composition

The present invention provides a detergent composition which is excellent in enzyme stability and exhibits excellent detergency particularly to protein-related dirt of socks and other items even under laundering conditions at a lower temperature. That is, the present invention provides a detergent composition comprising specific proportions of (a) an anionic surfactant, (b) a chlorine scavenger, (c) a protease whose &agr;-keratin-hydrolyzing activity at 10&deg; C. is not less than 0.09&times;10,&mgr;g/mPU&middot;min and (d) a protease whose &agr;-keratin-hydrolyzing activity at 10&deg; C. is less than 0.09&times;10,&mgr;g/mPU&middot;min.

Detergent compositions containing protopectinase whose optimum pH for the reaction is 7.0 or higher when protopectin or polygalacturonic acid is used as a substrate. The detergent compositions are endowed with remarkable detergency against mud soil.

A novel alkaline cellulase is disclosed. The alkaline cellulase is produced by Bacillus sp KSM-635 (FERM BP-1485) and possesses: (1) C.sub.x enzyme activity to act on carboxymethyl cellulose and weak C.sub.1 enzyme .beta.-glucosidase activities, (2) substrate specificity to act on carboxymethyl cellulose, cellulose cotton, Avicel, filter paper, cellobiose, and p-nitrophenyl cellobioside, (3) a working pH range of 4-12 and an optimum pH range of 9-10, (4) stable pH range of 4.5-10.5 when allowed to stand at 40.degree. C. for 10 minutes, and (5) working temperature range of 10.degree.-65.degree. C. and optimum temperature range at around 40.degree. C. Its activity is not inhibited by chelating agents nor by surface active agents. It is particularly effective as an additive for laundry detergent compositions.

Alkaline cellulase and process for producing the same

Alkaline cellulases having an optimum pH in an alkaline range and being stable over a broad pH range are produced by microorganisms which belong to the genus Bacillus and grow in a neutral medium. These alkaline cellulases are rarely inhibited by ingredients ordinarily incorporated in detergents such as surface active agents, proteinases and chelating agents, so that they can be conveniently used in detergent compositions.

Alkaline cellulases and microorganisms capable of producing same

Novel alkaline cellulase K, CMCase I and CMCase II are obtained by isolation from a culture product of Bacillus sp KSM-635. These enzymes stably work in a wide range including an alkaline side, and their activity is shown even at low temperatures. Further, they have a strong resistance to surface active agents, chelating agents and proteinases. Therefore, they can be effectively utilized not only as an additive for clothing detergents, but also as a biomass and in other fields.

Novel alkaline cellulases and a microorganism for producing the same

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Wakayama, Japan

Shitsuw Shikata