Fabric Treatments with Recombinant Enzymes from the Corn Production System

Textile production is a highly polluting industry, from raw materials production to generation of 92 million tons of waste annually. The processing of fibers, natural (cotton, silk, and linen) or synthetic (polyester and spandex), utilizes many environmentally harsh chemicals. Researchers are seeking methods to improve the sustainability of the industry. Enzymes can reduce the environmental footprint and comprise cellulases, laccase and peroxidase, amylases, proteases, and lipases. A precisely tailored enzyme composition can be introduced to meet textile treatment requirements. In addition, cellulases can be used to degrade fabrics for recycling so the raw materials can be reused rather than landfilled or incinerated. In this work, textile treatment compositions comprising an endoglucanase, a cellobiohydrolase, and laccase are described. The enzymes were engineered into corn kernels as a unique production system. The grain can be milled and used directly, or the enzyme can be extracted and concentrated. Results show that plant-based cellulases as a concentrate can prepare cottons for further processing by increasing the softness and smoothness of the fabric by removing surface pilling. Combinations of cellulases in corn flour can degrade cotton fabrics up to 93% and polyester/cotton blends up to 13% for recycling fiber. The corn-produced laccase with a mediator is effective in bleaching denim to produce variably faded jeans for the clothing market.