Cellulose oxidation and bleaching processes based on recombinant Myriococcum thermophilum cellobiose dehydrogenase

Myriococcum thermophilum cellobiose dehydrogenase (MtCDH) was expressed in Pichia pastoris using the pPICZαA expression vector under the control of methanol inducible AOX promoter. The purified recombinant MtCDH with a specific activity of 3.1 U mg−1 was characterized to obtain kinetic constants for various carbohydrate substrates. Additionally, the C1 oxidation of the reducing ends of cellobiose, cellotetraose and maltotriose by MtCDH was verified by HPLC-MS. MtCDH was employed to oxidize several different cellulose-based materials by production of hydrogen peroxide. Based on the obtained results a one-pot enzymatic scouring/bleaching process for cotton fabrics was developed using pectinases as scouring agent and MtCDH to produce H2O2 for bleaching. An average increase in whiteness (Berger) ΔE of 26 and an average 95% increase in wettability were observed in all MtCDH treated fabrics. In addition, MtCDH oxidized typical colored cotton flavonoids (morin, rutin, isoquercitrin).