Methods For Enhancing The Degradation Or Conversion Of Cellulosic Material

REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING

This application contains a Sequence Listing in computer readable form, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to processes for degrading a cellulosic material and for producing substances from the cellulosic material.

2. Description of the Related Art

Cellulose is a polymer of the simple sugar glucose covalently linked by beta-1,4-bonds. Many microorganisms produce enzymes that hydrolyze beta-linked glucans. These enzymes include endoglucanases, cellobiohydrolases, and beta-glucosidases. Endoglucanases digest the cellulose polymer at random locations, opening it to attack by cellobiohydrolases. Cellobiohydrolases sequentially release molecules of cellobiose from the ends of the cellulose polymer. Cellobiose is a water-soluble beta-1,4-linked dimer of glucose. Beta-glucosidases hydrolyze cellobiose to glucose.

The conversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks into ethanol has the advantages of the ready availability of large amounts of feedstock, the desirability of avoiding burning or land filling the materials, and the cleanliness of the ethanol fuel. Wood, agricultural residues, herbaceous crops, and municipal solid wastes have been considered as feedstocks for ethanol production. These materials primarily consist of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Once the lignocellulose is converted to fermentable sugars, e.g., glucose, the fermentable sugars can easily be fermented by yeast into ethanol.

WO 2005/074647, WO 2008/148131, and WO 2011/035027 disclose isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotides thereof from Thielavia terrestris. WO 2005/074656 and WO 2010/065830 disclose isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotides thereof from Thermoascus aurantiacus. WO 2007/089290 and WO 2012/149344 disclose isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotides thereof from Trichoderma reesei. WO 2009/085935, WO 2009/085859, WO 2009/085864, and WO 2009/085868 disclose isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotides thereof from Myceliophthora thermophila. WO 2010/138754 discloses an isolated GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotide thereof from Aspergillus fumigatus. WO 2011/005867 discloses an isolated GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotide thereof from Penicillium pinophilum. WO 2011/039319 discloses an isolated GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotide thereof from Thermoascus sp. WO 2011/041397 discloses an isolated GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotide thereof from Penicillium sp. WO 2011/041504 discloses isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotides thereof from Thermoascus crustaceus. WO 2012/030799 discloses isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotides thereof from Aspergillus aculeatus. WO 2012/113340 discloses isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotides thereof from Thermomyces lanuginosus. WO 2012/122477 discloses isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotides thereof from Aurantiporus alborubescens, Trichophaea saccata, and Penicillium thomii. WO 2012/135659 discloses an isolated GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotide thereof from Talaromyces stipitatus. WO 2012/146171 discloses isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotides thereof from Humicola insolens. WO 2012/101206 discloses isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotides thereof from Malbranchea cinnamomea, Talaromyces leycettanus, and Chaetomium thermophilum. WO 2013/043910 discloses isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and the polynucleotides thereof from Acrophialophora fusispora and Corynascus sepedonium. WO 2008/151043 and WO 2012/122518 disclose methods of increasing the activity of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity by adding a divalent metal cation to a composition comprising the polypeptide.

There is a need in the art for new enzyme compositions to increase efficiency and to provide cost-effective enzyme solutions for saccharification of cellulosic material.

The present invention provides processes for degrading a cellulosic material, comprising: treating the cellulosic material with an enzyme composition in the presence of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to processes for degrading a cellulosic material, comprising: treating the cellulosic material with an enzyme composition in the presence of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a GH61 polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4 or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6;

(b) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under at least very high stringency conditions with (i) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, (ii) the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or (iii) the full-length complement of (i) or (ii);

(c) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8, or the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 9;

(d) a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more (e.g., several) positions; and

(e) a fragment of the GH61 polypeptide of (a), (b), (c), or (d) that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

The present invention also relates to processes for producing a fermentation product, comprising: (a) saccharifying a cellulosic material with an enzyme composition in the presence of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity; (b) fermenting the saccharified cellulosic material with one or more (e.g., several) fermenting microorganisms to produce the fermentation product; and (c) recovering the fermentation product from the fermentation; wherein the GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a GH61 polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4 or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6;

(d) a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more (e.g., several) positions; and

(e) a fragment of the GH61 polypeptide of (a), (b), (c), or (d) that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

The present invention also relates to processes of fermenting a cellulosic material, comprising: fermenting the cellulosic material with one or more (e.g., several) fermenting microorganisms, wherein the cellulosic material is saccharified with an enzyme composition in the presence of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a GH61 polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4 or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6;

(d) a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more (e.g., several) positions; and

(e) a fragment of the GH61 polypeptide of (a), (b), (c), or (d) that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

The present invention further relates to compositions, whole broth formulations, or cell culture compositions comprising such a GH61 polypeptide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows the effect of each of the Trichoderma virens, Trichoderma atroviride, and Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptides on the hydrolysis of milled unwashed PCS at 50-65° C. by a cellulolytic enzyme composition (“HT composition”).

FIG. 2 shows a comparison of the Trichoderma virens, Trichoderma atroviride, and Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptides on the hydrolysis of milled PCS at 50-60° C. by a cellulolytic enzyme composition (“cellulase composition”).

FIG. 3 shows the effect of the Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide and Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide on the hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose by an enzyme composition comprising Trichoderma reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and Aspergillus fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase.

FIG. 4 shows the effect of the Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide on the hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose by an enzyme composition comprising Trichoderma reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and Aspergillus fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase 4M variant.

DEFINITIONS

Acetylxylan esterase: The term “acetylxylan esterase” means a carboxylesterase (EC 3.1.1.72) that catalyzes the hydrolysis of acetyl groups from polymeric xylan, acetylated xylose, acetylated glucose, alpha-napthyl acetate, and p-nitrophenyl acetate. Acetylxylan esterase activity can be determined using 0.5 mM p-nitrophenylacetate as substrate in 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0 containing 0.01% TWEEN™ 20 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate). One unit of acetylxylan esterase is defined as the amount of enzyme capable of releasing 1 μmole of p-nitrophenolate anion per minute at pH 5, 25° C.

Allelic variant: The term “allelic variant” means any of two or more alternative forms of a gene occupying the same chromosomal locus. Allelic variation arises naturally through mutation, and may result in polymorphism within populations. Gene mutations can be silent (no change in the encoded polypeptide) or may encode polypeptides having altered amino acid sequences. An allelic variant of a polypeptide is a polypeptide encoded by an allelic variant of a gene.

Alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase: The term “alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase” means an alpha-L-arabinofuranoside arabinofuranohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.55) that catalyzes the hydrolysis of terminal non-reducing alpha-L-arabinofuranoside residues in alpha-L-arabinosides. The enzyme acts on alpha-L-arabinofuranosides, alpha-L-arabinans containing (1,3)- and/or (1,5)-linkages, arabinoxylans, and arabinogalactans. Alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase is also known as arabinosidase, alpha-arabinosidase, alpha-L-arabinosidase, alpha-arabinofuranosidase, polysaccharide alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase, alpha-L-arabinofuranoside hydrolase, L-arabinosidase, or alpha-L-arabinanase. Alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase activity can be determined using 5 mg of medium viscosity wheat arabinoxylan (Megazyme International Ireland, Ltd., Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland) per ml of 100 mM sodium acetate pH 5 in a total volume of 200 μl for 30 minutes at 40° C. followed by arabinose analysis by AMINEX® HPX-87H column chromatography (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, Calif., USA).

Alpha-glucuronidase: The term “alpha-glucuronidase” means an alpha-D-glucosiduronate glucuronohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.139) that catalyzes the hydrolysis of an alpha-D-glucuronoside to D-glucuronate and an alcohol. Alpha-glucuronidase activity can be determined according to de Vries, 1998, J. Bacteriol. 180: 243-249. One unit of alpha-glucuronidase equals the amount of enzyme capable of releasing 1 μmole of glucuronic or 4-O-methylglucuronic acid per minute at pH 5, 40° C.

Beta-glucosidase: The term “beta-glucosidase” means a beta-D-glucoside glucohydrolase (E.C. 3.2.1.21) that catalyzes the hydrolysis of terminal non-reducing beta-D-glucose residues with the release of beta-D-glucose. Beta-glucosidase activity can be determined using p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside as substrate according to the procedure of Venturi et al., 2002, J. Basic Microbiol. 42: 55-66. One unit of beta-glucosidase is defined as 1.0 μmole of p-nitrophenolate anion produced per minute at 37° C., pH 5.0 from 1 mM p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside as substrate in 100 mM succinic acid, 100 mM HEPES, 100 mM CHES, 100 mM CABS, 1 mM CaCl₂, 150 mM KCl, 0.01% TRITON® X-100 (4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenyl-polyethylene glycol).

Beta-xylosidase: The term “beta-xylosidase” means a beta-D-xyloside xylohydrolase (E.C. 3.2.1.37) that catalyzes the exo-hydrolysis of short beta (1-4)-xylooligosaccharides to remove successive D-xylose residues from non-reducing termini. Beta-xylosidase activity can be determined using 1 mM p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-xyloside as substrate in 100 mM sodium citrate containing 0.01% TWEEN® 20 at pH 5, 40° C. One unit of beta-xylosidase is defined as 1.0 μmole of p-nitrophenolate anion produced per minute at 40° C., pH 5 from 1 mM p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-xyloside in 100 mM sodium citrate containing 0.01% TWEEN® 20.

Cellobiohydrolase: The term “cellobiohydrolase” means a 1,4-beta-D-glucan cellobiohydrolase (E.C. 3.2.1.91 and E.C. 3.2.1.176) that catalyzes the hydrolysis of 1,4-beta-D-glucosidic linkages in cellulose, cellooligosaccharides, or any beta-1,4-linked glucose containing polymer, releasing cellobiose from the reducing end (cellobiohydrolase I) or non-reducing end (cellobiohydrolase II) of the chain (Teeri, 1997, Trends in Biotechnology 15: 160-167; Teeri et al., 1998, Biochem. Soc. Trans. 26: 173-178). Cellobiohydrolase activity can be determined according to the procedures described by Lever et al., 1972, Anal. Biochem. 47: 273-279; van Tilbeurgh et al., 1982, FEBS Letters, 149: 152-156; van Tilbeurgh and Claeyssens, 1985, FEBS Letters, 187: 283-288; and Tomme et al., 1988, Eur. J. Biochem. 170: 575-581. In the present invention, the Tomme et al. method can be used to determine cellobiohydrolase activity.

Cellulolytic enzyme or cellulase: The term “cellulolytic enzyme” or “cellulase” means one or more (e.g., several) enzymes that hydrolyze a cellulosic material. Such enzymes include endoglucanase(s), cellobiohydrolase(s), beta-glucosidase(s), or combinations thereof. The two basic approaches for measuring cellulolytic enzyme activity include: (1) measuring the total cellulolytic enzyme activity, and (2) measuring the individual cellulolytic enzyme activities (endoglucanases, cellobiohydrolases, and beta-glucosidases) as reviewed in Zhang et al., 2006, Biotechnology Advances 24: 452-481. Total cellulolytic enzyme activity can be measured using insoluble substrates, including Whatman N^o1 filter paper, microcrystalline cellulose, bacterial cellulose, algal cellulose, cotton, pretreated lignocellulose, etc. The most common total cellulolytic activity assay is the filter paper assay using Whatman N^o1 filter paper as the substrate. The assay was established by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) (Ghose, 1987, Pure Appl. Chem. 59: 257-68).

Cellulolytic enzyme activity can be determined by measuring the increase in production/release of sugars during hydrolysis of a cellulosic material by cellulolytic enzyme(s) under the following conditions: 1-50 mg of cellulolytic enzyme protein/g of cellulose in pretreated corn stover (PCS) (or other pretreated cellulosic material) for 3-7 days at a suitable temperature such as 40° C.-80° C., e.g., 50° C., 55° C., 60° C., 65° C., or 70° C., and a suitable pH such as 4-9, e.g., 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, or 7.0, compared to a control hydrolysis without addition of cellulolytic enzyme protein. Typical conditions are 1 ml reactions, washed or unwashed PCS, 5% insoluble solids (dry weight), 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5, 1 mM MnSO₄, 50° C., 55° C., or 60° C., 72 hours, sugar analysis by AMINEX® HPX-87H column (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, Calif., USA).

Cellulosic material: The term “cellulosic material” means any material containing cellulose. The predominant polysaccharide in the primary cell wall of biomass is cellulose, the second most abundant is hemicellulose, and the third is pectin. The secondary cell wall, produced after the cell has stopped growing, also contains polysaccharides and is strengthened by polymeric lignin covalently cross-linked to hemicellulose. Cellulose is a homopolymer of anhydrocellobiose and thus a linear beta-(1-4)-D-glucan, while hemicelluloses include a variety of compounds, such as xylans, xyloglucans, arabinoxylans, and mannans in complex branched structures with a spectrum of substituents. Although generally polymorphous, cellulose is found in plant tissue primarily as an insoluble crystalline matrix of parallel glucan chains. Hemicelluloses usually hydrogen bond to cellulose, as well as to other hemicelluloses, which help stabilize the cell wall matrix.

Cellulose is generally found, for example, in the stems, leaves, hulls, husks, and cobs of plants or leaves, branches, and wood of trees. The cellulosic material can be, but is not limited to, agricultural residue, herbaceous material (including energy crops), municipal solid waste, pulp and paper mill residue, waste paper, and wood (including forestry residue) (see, for example, Wiselogel et al., 1995, in Handbook on Bioethanol (Charles E. Wyman, editor), pp. 105-118, Taylor & Francis, Washington D.C.; Wyman, 1994, Bioresource Technology 50: 3-16; Lynd, 1990, Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology 24/25: 695-719; Mosier et al., 1999, Recent Progress in Bioconversion of Lignocellulosics, in Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology, T. Scheper, managing editor, Volume 65, pp. 23-40, Springer-Verlag, New York). It is understood herein that the cellulose may be in the form of lignocellulose, a plant cell wall material containing lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose in a mixed matrix. In one aspect, the cellulosic material is any biomass material. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is lignocellulose, which comprises cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin.

In an embodiment, the cellulosic material is agricultural residue, herbaceous material (including energy crops), municipal solid waste, pulp and paper mill residue, waste paper, or wood (including forestry residue).

In another embodiment, the cellulosic material is arundo, bagasse, bamboo, corn cob, corn fiber, corn stover, miscanthus, rice straw, switchgrass, or wheat straw.

In another embodiment, the cellulosic material is aspen, eucalyptus, fir, pine, poplar, spruce, or willow.

In another embodiment, the cellulosic material is algal cellulose, bacterial cellulose, cotton linter, filter paper, microcrystalline cellulose (e.g., AVICEL®), or phosphoric-acid treated cellulose.

In another embodiment, the cellulosic material is an aquatic biomass. As used herein the term “aquatic biomass” means biomass produced in an aquatic environment by a photosynthesis process. The aquatic biomass can be algae, emergent plants, floating-leaf plants, or submerged plants.

The cellulosic material may be used as is or may be subjected to pretreatment, using conventional processes known in the art, as described herein. In a preferred aspect, the cellulosic material is pretreated.

cDNA: The term “cDNA” means a DNA molecule that can be prepared by reverse transcription from a mature, spliced, mRNA molecule obtained from a eukaryotic or prokaryotic cell. cDNA lacks intron sequences that may be present in the corresponding genomic DNA. The initial, primary RNA transcript is a precursor to mRNA that is processed through a series of steps, including splicing, before appearing as mature spliced mRNA.

Coding sequence: The term “coding sequence” means a polynucleotide, which directly specifies the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide. The boundaries of the coding sequence are generally determined by an open reading frame, which begins with a start codon such as ATG, GTG, or TTG and ends with a stop codon such as TAA, TAG, or TGA. The coding sequence may be a genomic DNA, cDNA, synthetic DNA, or a combination thereof.

Control sequences: The term “control sequences” means nucleic acid sequences necessary for expression of a polynucleotide encoding a mature polypeptide of the present invention. Each control sequence may be native (i.e., from the same gene) or foreign (i.e., from a different gene) to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide or native or foreign to each other. Such control sequences include, but are not limited to, a leader, polyadenylation sequence, propeptide sequence, promoter, signal peptide sequence, and transcription terminator. At a minimum, the control sequences include a promoter, and transcriptional and translational stop signals. The control sequences may be provided with linkers for the purpose of introducing specific restriction sites facilitating ligation of the control sequences with the coding region of the polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide.

Endoglucanase: The term “endoglucanase” means a 4-(1,3;1,4)-beta-D-glucan 4-glucanohydrolase (E.C. 3.2.1.4) that catalyzes endohydrolysis of 1,4-beta-D-glycosidic linkages in cellulose, cellulose derivatives (such as carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose), lichenin, beta-1,4 bonds in mixed beta-1,3-1,4 glucans such as cereal beta-D-glucans or xyloglucans, and other plant material containing cellulosic components. Endoglucanase activity can be determined by measuring reduction in substrate viscosity or increase in reducing ends determined by a reducing sugar assay (Zhang et al., 2006, Biotechnology Advances 24: 452-481). Endoglucanase activity can also be determined using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as substrate according to the procedure of Ghose, 1987, Pure and Appl. Chem. 59: 257-268, at pH 5, 40° C.

Expression: The term “expression” includes any step involved in the production of a polypeptide including, but not limited to, transcription, post-transcriptional modification, translation, post-translational modification, and secretion.

Expression vector: The term “expression vector” means a linear or circular DNA molecule that comprises a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide and is operably linked to control sequences that provide for its expression.

Family 61 glycoside hydrolase: The term “Family 61 glycoside hydrolase” or “Family GH61” or “GH61” means a polypeptide falling into the glycoside hydrolase Family 61 according to Henrissat B., 1991, Biochem. J. 280: 309-316, and Henrissat B., and Bairoch A., 1996, Biochem. J. 316: 695-696. The enzymes in this family were originally classified as a glycoside hydrolase family based on measurement of very weak endo-1,4-beta-D-glucanase activity in one family member. GH61 polypeptides are now classified as a lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (Quinlan et al., 2011, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 208: 15079-15084; Phillips et al., 2011, ACS Chem. Biol. 6: 1399-1406; Lin et al., 2012, Structure 20: 1051-1061) and placed into a new family designated “Auxiliary Activity 9” or “AA9”.

Feruloyl esterase: The term “feruloyl esterase” means a 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamoyl-sugar hydrolase (EC 3.1.1.73) that catalyzes the hydrolysis of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamoyl (feruloyl) groups from esterified sugar, which is usually arabinose in natural biomass substrates, to produce ferulate (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamate). Feruloyl esterase (FAE) is also known as ferulic acid esterase, hydroxycinnamoyl esterase, FAE-III, cinnamoyl ester hydrolase, FAEA, cinnAE, FAE-I, or FAE-II. Feruloyl esterase activity can be determined using 0.5 mM p-nitrophenylferulate as substrate in 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0. One unit of feruloyl esterase equals the amount of enzyme capable of releasing 1 μmole of p-nitrophenolate anion per minute at pH 5, 25° C.

Fragment: The term “fragment” means a polypeptide or a domain thereof having one or more (e.g., several) amino acids absent from the amino and/or carboxyl terminus of a mature polypeptide or a domain thereof; wherein the fragment has cellulolytic enhancing activity or cellulose binding activity. In one aspect, a fragment contains at least 280 amino acid residues, e.g., at least 295 amino acid residues or at least 310 amino acid residues of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2. In another aspect, a fragment contains at least 280 amino acid residues, e.g., at least 295 amino acid residues or at least 310 amino acid residues of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 4. In another aspect, a fragment contains at least 280 amino acid residues, e.g., at least 295 amino acid residues or at least 310 amino acid residues of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6.

Hemicellulolytic enzyme or hemicellulase: The term “hemicellulolytic enzyme” or “hemicellulase” means one or more (e.g., several) enzymes that hydrolyze a hemicellulosic material. See, for example, Shallom and Shoham, Current Opinion In Microbiology, 2003, 6(3): 219-228). Hemicellulases are key components in the degradation of plant biomass. Examples of hemicellulases include, but are not limited to, an acetylmannan esterase, an acetylxylan esterase, an arabinanase, an arabinofuranosidase, a coumaric acid esterase, a feruloyl esterase, a galactosidase, a glucuronidase, a glucuronoyl esterase, a mannanase, a mannosidase, a xylanase, and a xylosidase. The substrates for these enzymes, hemicelluloses, are a heterogeneous group of branched and linear polysaccharides that are bound via hydrogen bonds to the cellulose microfibrils in the plant cell wall, crosslinking them into a robust network. Hemicelluloses are also covalently attached to lignin, forming together with cellulose a highly complex structure. The variable structure and organization of hemicelluloses require the concerted action of many enzymes for its complete degradation. The catalytic modules of hemicellulases are either glycoside hydrolases (GHs) that hydrolyze glycosidic bonds, or carbohydrate esterases (CEs), which hydrolyze ester linkages of acetate or ferulic acid side groups. These catalytic modules, based on homology of their primary sequence, can be assigned into GH and CE families. Some families, with an overall similar fold, can be further grouped into clans, marked alphabetically (e.g., GH-A). A most informative and updated classification of these and other carbohydrate active enzymes is available in the Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZy) database. Hemicellulolytic enzyme activities can be measured according to Ghose and Bisaria, 1987, Pure & Appl. Chem. 59: 1739-1752, at a suitable temperature such as 40° C.-80° C., e.g., 50° C., 55° C., 60° C., 65° C., or 70° C., and a suitable pH such as 4-9, e.g., 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, or 7.0.

High stringency conditions: The term “high stringency conditions” means for probes of at least 100 nucleotides in length, prehybridization and hybridization at 42° C. in 5×SSPE, 0.3% SDS, 200 micrograms/ml sheared and denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 50% formamide, following standard Southern blotting procedures for 12 to 24 hours. The carrier material is finally washed three times each for 15 minutes using 0.2×SSC, 0.2% SDS at 65° C.

Host cell: The term “host cell” means any cell type that is susceptible to transformation, transfection, transduction, or the like with a nucleic acid construct or expression vector comprising a polynucleotide of the present invention. The term “host cell” encompasses any progeny of a parent cell that is not identical to the parent cell due to mutations that occur during replication.

Isolated: The term “isolated” means a substance in a form or environment that does not occur in nature. Non-limiting examples of isolated substances include (1) any non-naturally occurring substance, (2) any substance including, but not limited to, any enzyme, variant, nucleic acid, protein, peptide or cofactor, that is at least partially removed from one or more (e.g., several) or all of the naturally occurring constituents with which it is associated in nature; (3) any substance modified by the hand of man relative to that substance found in nature; or (4) any substance modified by increasing the amount of the substance relative to other components with which it is naturally associated (e.g., recombinant production in a host cell; multiple copies of a gene encoding the substance; and use of a stronger promoter than the promoter naturally associated with the gene encoding the substance).

Low stringency conditions: The term “low stringency conditions” means for probes of at least 100 nucleotides in length, prehybridization and hybridization at 42° C. in 5×SSPE, 0.3% SDS, 200 micrograms/ml sheared and denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 25% formamide, following standard Southern blotting procedures for 12 to 24 hours. The carrier material is finally washed three times each for 15 minutes using 0.2×SSC, 0.2% SDS at 50° C.

Mature polypeptide: The term “mature polypeptide” means a polypeptide in its final form following translation and any post-translational modifications, such as N-terminal processing, C-terminal truncation, glycosylation, phosphorylation, etc. In one aspect, the mature polypeptide is amino acids 22 to 347 of SEQ ID NO: 2 (P24D78) based on the SignalP program (Nielsen et al., 1997, Protein Engineering 10: 1-6) that predicts amino acids 1 to 21 of SEQ ID NO: 2 are a signal peptide. In another aspect, the mature polypeptide is amino acids 22 to 349 of SEQ ID NO: 4 (P24D76) based on the SignalP program that predicts amino acids 1 to 21 of SEQ ID NO: 4 are a signal peptide. In another aspect, the mature polypeptide is amino acids 22 to 346 of SEQ ID NO: 6 (P24ATH) based on the SignalP program that predicts amino acids 1 to 21 of SEQ ID NO: 6 are a signal peptide. It is known in the art that a host cell may produce a mixture of two of more different mature polypeptides (i.e., with a different C-terminal and/or N-terminal amino acid) expressed by the same polynucleotide. It is also known in the art that different host cells process polypeptides differently, and thus, one host cell expressing a polynucleotide may produce a different mature polypeptide (e.g., having a different C-terminal and/or N-terminal amino acid) as compared to another host cell expressing the same polynucleotide.

Mature polypeptide coding sequence: The term “mature polypeptide coding sequence” means a polynucleotide that encodes a mature GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity. In one aspect, the mature polypeptide coding sequence is nucleotides 64 to 1105 of SEQ ID NO: 1 (D82GXV) or the cDNA sequence thereof based on the SignalP program (Nielsen et al., 1997, supra) that predicts nucleotides 1 to 63 of SEQ ID NO: 1 encode a signal peptide. In another aspect, the mature polypeptide coding sequence is nucleotides 64 to 1041 of SEQ ID NO: 7 (KKSC105, D82GZN) based on the SignalP program that predicts nucleotides 1 to 63 of SEQ ID NO: 7 encode a signal peptide. In another aspect, the mature polypeptide coding sequence is nucleotides 64 to 1111 of SEQ ID NO: 3 (D82GX9) or the cDNA sequence thereof based on the SignalP program that predicts nucleotides 1 to 63 of SEQ ID NO: 3 encode a signal peptide. In another aspect, the mature polypeptide coding sequence is nucleotides 64 to 1047 of SEQ ID NO: 8 (KKSC106, D82GZH) based on the SignalP program that predicts nucleotides 1 to 63 of SEQ ID NO: 8 encode a signal peptide. In another aspect, the mature polypeptide coding sequence is nucleotides 64 to 1038 of SEQ ID NO: 5 (D82FFS) based on the SignalP program that predicts nucleotides 1 to 63 of SEQ ID NO: 5 encode a signal peptide. In another aspect, the mature polypeptide coding sequence is nucleotides 64 to 1038 of SEQ ID NO: 9 (KKSC107, D82H1E) based on the SignalP program that predicts nucleotides 1 to 63 of SEQ ID NO: 9 encode a signal peptide.

Medium stringency conditions: The term “medium stringency conditions” means for probes of at least 100 nucleotides in length, prehybridization and hybridization at 42° C. in 5×SSPE, 0.3% SDS, 200 micrograms/ml sheared and denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 35% formamide, following standard Southern blotting procedures for 12 to 24 hours. The carrier material is finally washed three times each for 15 minutes using 0.2×SSC, 0.2% SDS at 55° C.

Medium-high stringency conditions: The term “medium-high stringency conditions” means for probes of at least 100 nucleotides in length, prehybridization and hybridization at 42° C. in 5×SSPE, 0.3% SDS, 200 micrograms/ml sheared and denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 35% formamide, following standard Southern blotting procedures for 12 to 24 hours. The carrier material is finally washed three times each for 15 minutes using 0.2×SSC, 0.2% SDS at 60° C.

Nucleic acid construct: The term “nucleic acid construct” means a nucleic acid molecule, either single- or double-stranded, which is isolated from a naturally occurring gene or is modified to contain segments of nucleic acids in a manner that would not otherwise exist in nature or which is synthetic, which comprises one or more control sequences.

Operably linked: The term “operably linked” means a configuration in which a control sequence is placed at an appropriate position relative to the coding sequence of a polynucleotide such that the control sequence directs expression of the coding sequence.

Polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity: The term “polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity” means a GH61 polypeptide that catalyzes the enhancement of the hydrolysis of a cellulosic material by enzyme having cellulolytic activity. Cellulolytic enhancing activity can be determined by measuring the increase in reducing sugars or the increase of the total of cellobiose and glucose from the hydrolysis of a cellulosic material by cellulolytic enzyme under the following conditions: 1-50 mg of total protein/g of cellulose in pretreated corn stover (PCS), wherein total protein is comprised of 50-99.5% w/w cellulolytic enzyme protein and 0.5-50% w/w protein of a GH61 polypeptide for 1-7 days at a suitable temperature, such as 40° C.-80° C., e.g., 50° C., 55° C., 60° C., 65° C., or 70° C., and a suitable pH, such as 4-9, e.g., 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0, or 8.5, compared to a control hydrolysis with equal total protein loading without cellulolytic enhancing activity (1-50 mg of cellulolytic protein/g of cellulose in PCS).

GH61 polypeptide enhancing activity can be determined using a mixture of CELLUCLAST® 1.5 L (Novozymes NS, Bagsærd, Denmark) in the presence of 2-3% of total protein weight Aspergillus oryzae beta-glucosidase (recombinantly produced in Aspergillus oryzae according to WO 02/095014) or 2-3% of total protein weight Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase (recombinantly produced in Aspergillus oryzae as described in WO 02/095014) of cellulase protein loading is used as the source of the cellulolytic activity.

GH61 polypeptide enhancing activity can also be determined by incubating the GH61 polypeptide with 0.5% phosphoric acid swollen cellulose (PASC), 100 mM sodium acetate pH 5, 1 mM MnSO₄, 0.1% gallic acid, 0.025 mg/ml of Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase, and 0.01% TRITON® X-100 for 24-96 hours at 40° C. followed by determination of the glucose released from the PASC

GH61 polypeptide enhancing activity can also be determined according to WO 2013/028928 for high temperature compositions.

The GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity enhance the hydrolysis of a cellulosic material catalyzed by enzyme having cellulolytic activity by reducing the amount of cellulolytic enzyme required to reach the same degree of hydrolysis preferably at least 1.01-fold, e.g., at least 1.05-fold, at least 1.10-fold, at least 1.25-fold, at least 1.5-fold, at least 2-fold, at least 3-fold, at least 4-fold, at least 5-fold, at least 10-fold, or at least 20-fold.

The GH61 polypeptides of the present invention have at least 20%, e.g., at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, and at least 100% of the cellulolytic enhancing activity of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6.

Pretreated corn stover: The term “Pretreated Corn Stover” or “PCS” means a cellulosic material derived from corn stover by treatment with heat and dilute sulfuric acid, alkaline pretreatment, neutral pretreatment, or any pretreatment known in the art.

Sequence identity: The relatedness between two amino acid sequences or between two nucleotide sequences is described by the parameter “sequence identity”.

For purposes of the present invention, the sequence identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm (Needleman and Wunsch, 1970, J. Mol. Biol. 48: 443-453) as implemented in the Needle program of the EMBOSS package (EMBOSS: The European Molecular Biology Open Software Suite, Rice et al., 2000, Trends Genet. 16: 276-277), preferably version 5.0.0 or later. The parameters used are gap open penalty of 10, gap extension penalty of 0.5, and the EBLOSUM62 (EMBOSS version of BLOSUM62) substitution matrix. The output of Needle labeled “longest identity” (obtained using the -nobrief option) is used as the percent identity and is calculated as follows:

(Identical Residues×100)/(Length of Alignment−Total Number of Gaps in Alignment)

For purposes of the present invention, the sequence identity between two deoxyribonucleotide sequences is determined using the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm (Needleman and Wunsch, 1970, supra) as implemented in the Needle program of the EMBOSS package (EMBOSS: The European Molecular Biology Open Software Suite, Rice et al., 2000, supra), preferably version 5.0.0 or later. The parameters used are gap open penalty of 10, gap extension penalty of 0.5, and the EDNAFULL (EMBOSS version of NCBI NUC4.4) substitution matrix. The output of Needle labeled “longest identity” (obtained using the -nobrief option) is used as the percent identity and is calculated as follows:

(Identical Deoxyribonucleotides×100)/(Length of Alignment−Total Number of Gaps in Alignment)

Subsequence: The term “subsequence” means a polynucleotide having one or more (e.g., several) nucleotides absent from the 5′ and/or 3′ end of a mature polypeptide coding sequence; wherein the subsequence encodes a fragment having cellulolytic enhancing activity. In one aspect, a subsequence contains at least 840 nucleotides, e.g., at least nucleotides 885 or at least nucleotides 930 of SEQ ID NO: 1 or the cDNA sequence thereof, or SEQ ID NO: 7. In another aspect, a subsequence contains at least 840 nucleotides, e.g., at least nucleotides 885 or at least nucleotides 930 of SEQ ID NO: 3 or the cDNA sequence thereof, or SEQ ID NO: 8. In another aspect, a subsequence contains at least 840 nucleotides, e.g., at least nucleotides 885 or at least nucleotides 930 of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 9.

Variant: The term “variant” means a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity comprising an alteration, i.e., a substitution, insertion, and/or deletion, at one or more (e.g., several) positions. A substitution means replacement of the amino acid occupying a position with a different amino acid; a deletion means removal of the amino acid occupying a position; and an insertion means adding an amino acid adjacent to and immediately following the amino acid occupying a position.

Very high stringency conditions: The term “very high stringency conditions” means for probes of at least 100 nucleotides in length, prehybridization and hybridization at 42° C. in 5×SSPE, 0.3% SDS, 200 micrograms/ml sheared and denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 50% formamide, following standard Southern blotting procedures for 12 to 24 hours. The carrier material is finally washed three times each for 15 minutes using 0.2×SSC, 0.2% SDS at 70° C.

Very low stringency conditions: The term “very low stringency conditions” means for probes of at least 100 nucleotides in length, prehybridization and hybridization at 42° C. in 5×SSPE, 0.3% SDS, 200 micrograms/ml sheared and denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 25% formamide, following standard Southern blotting procedures for 12 to 24 hours. The carrier material is finally washed three times each for 15 minutes using 0.2×SSC, 0.2% SDS at 45° C.

Xylan-containing material: The term “xylan-containing material” means any material comprising a plant cell wall polysaccharide containing a backbone of beta-(1-4)-linked xylose residues. Xylans of terrestrial plants are heteropolymers possessing a beta-(1-4)-D-xylopyranose backbone, which is branched by short carbohydrate chains. They comprise D-glucuronic acid or its 4-O-methyl ether, L-arabinose, and/or various oligosaccharides, composed of D-xylose, L-arabinose, D- or L-galactose, and D-glucose. Xylan-type polysaccharides can be divided into homoxylans and heteroxylans, which include glucuronoxylans, (arabino)glucuronoxylans, (glucurono)arabinoxylans, arabinoxylans, and complex heteroxylans. See, for example, Ebringerova et al., 2005, Adv. Polym. Sci. 186: 1-67. In a preferred aspect, the xylan-containing material is lignocellulose.

Xylan degrading activity or xylanolytic activity: The term “xylan degrading activity” or “xylanolytic activity” means a biological activity that hydrolyzes xylan-containing material. The two basic approaches for measuring xylanolytic activity include: (1) measuring the total xylanolytic activity, and (2) measuring the individual xylanolytic activities (e.g., endoxylanases, beta-xylosidases, arabinofuranosidases, alpha-glucuronidases, acetylxylan esterases, feruloyl esterases, and alpha-glucuronyl esterases). Recent progress in assays of xylanolytic enzymes was summarized in several publications including Biely and Puchard, 2006, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 86(11): 1636-1647; Spanikova and Biely, 2006, FEBS Letters 580(19): 4597-4601; Herrmann et al., 1997, Biochemical Journal 321: 375-381.

Total xylan degrading activity can be measured by determining the reducing sugars formed from various types of xylan, including, for example, oat spelt, beechwood, and larchwood xylans, or by photometric determination of dyed xylan fragments released from various covalently dyed xylans. A common total xylanolytic activity assay is based on production of reducing sugars from polymeric 4-O-methyl glucuronoxylan as described in Bailey, Biely, Poutanen, 1992, Interlaboratory testing of methods for assay of xylanase activity, Journal of Biotechnology 23(3): 257-270. Xylanase activity can also be determined with 0.2% AZCL-arabinoxylan as substrate in 0.01% TRITON® X-100 and 200 mM sodium phosphate pH 6 at 37° C. One unit of xylanase activity is defined as 1.0 μmole of azurine produced per minute at 37° C., pH 6 from 0.2% AZCL-arabinoxylan as substrate in 200 mM sodium phosphate pH 6.

Xylan degrading activity can be determined by measuring the increase in hydrolysis of birchwood xylan (Sigma Chemical Co., Inc., St. Louis, Mo., USA) by xylan-degrading enzyme(s) under the following typical conditions: 1 ml reactions, 5 mg/ml substrate (total solids), 5 mg of xylanolytic protein/g of substrate, 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5, 50° C., 24 hours, sugar analysis using p-hydroxybenzoic acid hydrazide (PHBAH) assay as described by Lever, 1972, Anal. Biochem. 47: 273-279.

Xylanase: The term “xylanase” means a 1,4-beta-D-xylan-xylohydrolase (E.C. 3.2.1.8) that catalyzes the endohydrolysis of 1,4-beta-D-xylosidic linkages in xylans. Xylanase activity can be determined with 0.2% AZCL-arabinoxylan as substrate in 0.01% TRITON® X-100 and 200 mM sodium phosphate pH 6 at 37° C. One unit of xylanase activity is defined as 1.0 μmole of azurine produced per minute at 37° C., pH 6 from 0.2% AZCL-arabinoxylan as substrate in 200 mM sodium phosphate pH 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(a) a GH61 polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4 or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6;

(d) a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more positions; and

(e) a fragment of the GH61 polypeptide of (a), (b), (c), or (d) that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

In one aspect, the processes further comprise recovering the degraded cellulosic material. In another aspect, the degraded cellulosic material is a sugar. In another aspect, the sugar is selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose, mannose, galactose, and arabinose. Soluble products of degradation of the cellulosic material can be separated from insoluble cellulosic material using a method known in the art such as, for example, centrifugation, filtration, or gravity settling.

The present invention also relates to processes for producing a fermentation product, comprising: (a) saccharifying a cellulosic material with an enzyme composition in the presence of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity; (b) fermenting the saccharified cellulosic material with one or more fermenting microorganisms to produce the fermentation product; and (c) recovering the fermentation product from the fermentation; wherein the GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a GH61 polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4 or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6;

(d) a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more positions; and

(e) a fragment of the GH61 polypeptide of (a), (b), (c), or (d) that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

In one aspect, steps (a) and (b) are performed simultaneously in a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation.

The present invention also relates to processes of fermenting a cellulosic material, comprising: fermenting the cellulosic material with one or more fermenting microorganisms, wherein the cellulosic material is saccharified with an enzyme composition in the presence of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a GH61 polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4 or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6;

(d) a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more positions; and

(e) a fragment of the GH61 polypeptide of (a), (b), (c), or (d) that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

In one aspect, the fermenting of the cellulosic material produces a fermentation product. In another aspect, the processes further comprise recovering the fermentation product from the fermentation.

Polypeptides Having Cellulolytic Enhancing Activity and Polynucleotides Thereof

In an embodiment, the isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity have a sequence identity of at least 80%, e.g., at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100%, to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4, or at least 93%, e.g., at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100%, to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6; which have cellulolytic enhancing activity. In one aspect, the GH61 polypeptides differ by up to 10 amino acids, e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10, from the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6.

A GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity preferably comprises or consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 or an allelic variant thereof; or is a fragment thereof having cellulolytic enhancing activity. In another aspect, the GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity comprises or consists of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6. In another aspect, the GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity comprises or consists of amino acids 22 to 347 of SEQ ID NO: 2, amino acids 22 to 349 of SEQ ID NO: 4, or amino acids 22 to 346 of SEQ ID NO: 6.

In another embodiment, the isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity are encoded by polynucleotides that hybridize under very low stringency conditions, low stringency conditions, medium stringency conditions, medium-high stringency conditions, high stringency conditions, or very high stringency conditions with (i) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, (ii) the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or (iii) the full-length complement of (i) or (ii) (Sambrook et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 2d edition, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.)

The polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, or a subsequence thereof, as well as the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6, or a fragment thereof, may be used to design nucleic acid probes to identify and clone DNA encoding polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity from strains of different genera or species according to methods well known in the art. In particular, such probes can be used for hybridization with the genomic DNA or cDNA of a cell of interest, following standard Southern blotting procedures, in order to identify and isolate the corresponding gene therein. Such probes can be considerably shorter than the entire sequence, but should be at least 15, e.g., at least 25, at least 35, or at least 70 nucleotides in length. Preferably, the nucleic acid probe is at least 100 nucleotides in length, e.g., at least 200 nucleotides, at least 300 nucleotides, at least 400 nucleotides, at least 500 nucleotides, at least 600 nucleotides, at least 700 nucleotides, at least 800 nucleotides, or at least 900 nucleotides in length. Both DNA and RNA probes can be used. The probes are typically labeled for detecting the corresponding gene (for example, with ³²P, ³H, ³⁵S, biotin, or avidin). Such probes are encompassed by the present invention.

A genomic DNA or cDNA library prepared from such other strains may be screened for DNA that hybridizes with the probes described above and encodes a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity. Genomic or other DNA from such other strains may be separated by agarose or polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, or other separation techniques. DNA from the libraries or the separated DNA may be transferred to and immobilized on nitrocellulose or other suitable carrier material. In order to identify a clone or DNA that hybridizes with SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, the mature polypeptide coding sequence thereof, the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or a subsequence thereof, the carrier material is used in a Southern blot.

For purposes of the present invention, hybridization indicates that the polynucleotide hybridizes to a labeled nucleic acid probe corresponding to (i) SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9; (ii) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9; (iii) the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3; (iv) the full-length complement thereof; or (v) a subsequence thereof; under very low to very high stringency conditions. Molecules to which the nucleic acid probe hybridizes under these conditions can be detected using, for example, X-ray film or any other detection means known in the art.

In one aspect, the nucleic acid probe is a polynucleotide that encodes the GH61 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6; the mature polypeptide thereof; or a fragment thereof. In another aspect, the nucleic acid probe is SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, or the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3.

In another embodiment, the isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity are encoded by polynucleotides having a sequence identity of at least 80%, e.g., at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100%, to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8, or the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or at least 93%, e.g., at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100%, to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 9.

In another embodiment, the isolated GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity are variants of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more (e.g., several) positions. In one aspect, the number of amino acid substitutions, deletions and/or insertions introduced into the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 is up to 10, e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. The amino acid changes may be of a minor nature, that is conservative amino acid substitutions or insertions that do not significantly affect the folding and/or activity of the protein; small deletions, typically of 1-30 amino acids; small amino- or carboxyl-terminal extensions, such as an amino-terminal methionine residue; a small linker peptide of up to 20-25 residues; or a small extension that facilitates purification by changing net charge or another function, such as a poly-histidine tract, an antigenic epitope or a binding domain.

Examples of conservative substitutions are within the groups of basic amino acids (arginine, lysine and histidine), acidic amino acids (glutamic acid and aspartic acid), polar amino acids (glutamine and asparagine), hydrophobic amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine), aromatic amino acids (phenylalanine, tryptophan and tyrosine), and small amino acids (glycine, alanine, serine, threonine and methionine). Amino acid substitutions that do not generally alter specific activity are known in the art and are described, for example, by H. Neurath and R. L. Hill, 1979, In, The Proteins, Academic Press, New York. Common substitutions are Ala/Ser, Val/Ile, Asp/Glu, Thr/Ser, Ala/Gly, Ala/Thr, Ser/Asn, Ala/Val, Ser/Gly, Tyr/Phe, Ala/Pro, Lys/Arg, Asp/Asn, Leu/Ile, Leu/Val, Ala/Glu, and Asp/Gly.

Alternatively, the amino acid changes are of such a nature that the physico-chemical properties of the polypeptides are altered. For example, amino acid changes may improve the thermal stability of the polypeptide, thermal activity of the polypeptide, alter the substrate specificity, change the pH optimum, and the like.

Essential amino acids in a polypeptide can be identified according to procedures known in the art, such as site-directed mutagenesis or alanine-scanning mutagenesis (Cunningham and Wells, 1989, Science 244: 1081-1085). In the latter technique, single alanine mutations are introduced at every residue in the molecule, and the resultant mutant molecules are tested for cellulolytic enhancing activity to identify amino acid residues that are critical to the activity of the molecule. See also, Hilton et al., 1996, J. Biol. Chem. 271: 4699-4708. The active site of the enzyme or other biological interaction can also be determined by physical analysis of structure, as determined by such techniques as nuclear magnetic resonance, crystallography, electron diffraction, or photoaffinity labeling, in conjunction with mutation of putative contact site amino acids. See, for example, de Vos et al., 1992, Science 255: 306-312; Smith et al., 1992, J. Mol. Biol. 224: 899-904; Wlodaver et al., 1992, FEBS Lett. 309: 59-64. The identity of essential amino acids can also be inferred from an alignment with a related polypeptide.

Single or multiple amino acid substitutions, deletions, and/or insertions can be made and tested using known methods of mutagenesis, recombination, and/or shuffling, followed by a relevant screening procedure, such as those disclosed by Reidhaar-Olson and Sauer, 1988, Science 241: 53-57; Bowie and Sauer, 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86: 2152-2156; WO 95/17413; or WO 95/22625. Other methods that can be used include error-prone PCR, phage display (e.g., Lowman et al., 1991, Biochemistry 30: 10832-10837; U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409; WO 92/06204), and region-directed mutagenesis (Derbyshire et al., 1986, Gene 46: 145; Ner et al., 1988, DNA 7: 127).

Mutagenesis/shuffling methods can be combined with high-throughput, automated screening methods to detect activity of cloned, mutagenized polypeptides expressed by host cells (Ness et al., 1999, Nature Biotechnology 17: 893-896). Mutagenized DNA molecules that encode active polypeptides can be recovered from the host cells and rapidly sequenced using standard methods in the art. These methods allow the rapid determination of the importance of individual amino acid residues in a polypeptide.

The GH61 polypeptide may be a hybrid polypeptide in which a region of one polypeptide is fused at the N-terminus or the C-terminus of a region of another polypeptide.

The GH61 polypeptide may be a fusion polypeptide or cleavable fusion polypeptide in which another polypeptide is fused at the N-terminus or the C-terminus of the polypeptide of the present invention. A fusion polypeptide is produced by fusing a polynucleotide encoding another polypeptide to a polynucleotide of the present invention. Techniques for producing fusion polypeptides are known in the art, and include ligating the coding sequences encoding the polypeptides so that they are in frame and that expression of the fusion polypeptide is under control of the same promoter(s) and terminator. Fusion polypeptides may also be constructed using intein technology in which fusion polypeptides are created post-translationally (Cooper et al., 1993, EMBO J. 12: 2575-2583; Dawson et al., 1994, Science 266: 776-779).

A fusion polypeptide can further comprise a cleavage site between the two polypeptides. Upon secretion of the fusion protein, the site is cleaved releasing the two polypeptides. Examples of cleavage sites include, but are not limited to, the sites disclosed in Martin et al., 2003, J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 3: 568-576; Svetina et al., 2000, J. Biotechnol. 76: 245-251; Rasmussen-Wilson et al., 1997, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 63: 3488-3493; Ward et al., 1995, Biotechnology 13: 498-503; and Contreras et al., 1991, Biotechnology 9: 378-381; Eaton et al., 1986, Biochemistry 25: 505-512; Collins-Racie et al., 1995, Biotechnology 13: 982-987; Carter et al., 1989, Proteins: Structure, Function, and Genetics 6: 240-248; and Stevens, 2003, Drug Discovery World 4: 35-48.

Sources of Polypeptides Having Cellulolytic Enhancing Activity

A GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity may be obtained from microorganisms of any genus. For purposes of the present invention, the term “obtained from” as used herein in connection with a given source shall mean that the polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide is produced by the source or by a strain in which the polynucleotide from the source has been inserted. In one aspect, the polypeptide obtained from a given source is secreted extracellularly.

In one aspect, the GH61 polypeptide is a Trichoderma or Hypocrea polypeptide. In another aspect, the GH61 polypeptide is a Trichoderma virens (Hypocrea virens) polypeptide. In another aspect, the GH61 polypeptide is a Trichoderma atroviride (Hypocrea atroviridis) polypeptide. In another aspect, the GH61 polypeptide is a Trichoderma saturnisporum (Hypocrea saturnisporum) polypeptide.

It will be understood that for the aforementioned species the invention encompasses both the perfect and imperfect states, and other taxonomic equivalents, e.g., anamorphs, regardless of the species name by which they are known. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize the identity of appropriate equivalents.

Strains of these species are readily accessible to the public in a number of culture collections, such as the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen and Zellkulturen GmbH (DSMZ), Centraalbureau Voor Schimmelcultures (CBS), and Agricultural Research Service Patent Culture Collection, Northern Regional Research Center (NRRL).

A GH61 polypeptide may be identified and obtained from other sources including microorganisms isolated from nature (e.g., soil, composts, water, etc.) or DNA samples obtained directly from natural materials (e.g., soil, composts, water, etc.) using the above-mentioned probes. Techniques for isolating microorganisms and DNA directly from natural habitats are well known in the art. A polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide may then be obtained by similarly screening a genomic DNA or cDNA library of another microorganism or mixed DNA sample. Once a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide has been detected with the probe(s), the polynucleotide can be isolated or cloned by utilizing techniques that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art (see, e.g., Sambrook et al., 1989, supra).

Polynucleotides

Polynucleotides encoding GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity can be isolated and utilized to practice the processes of the present invention, as described herein.

The techniques used to isolate or clone a polynucleotide are known in the art and include isolation from genomic DNA or cDNA, or a combination thereof. The cloning of the polynucleotides from genomic DNA can be effected, e.g., by using the well-known polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or antibody screening of expression libraries to detect cloned DNA fragments with shared structural features. See, e.g., Innis et al., 1990, PCR: A Guide to Methods and Application, Academic Press, New York. Other nucleic acid amplification procedures such as ligase chain reaction (LCR), ligation activated transcription (LAT) and polynucleotide-based amplification (NASBA) may be used. The polynucleotides may be cloned from a strain of Trichoderma, or a related organism and thus, for example, may be an allelic or species variant of the polypeptide encoding region of the polynucleotide.

Modification of a polynucleotide encoding a GH61 polypeptide of the present invention may be necessary for synthesizing polypeptides substantially similar to the polypeptide. The term “substantially similar” to the polypeptide refers to non-naturally occurring forms of the polypeptide. These polypeptides may differ in some engineered way from the polypeptide isolated from its native source, e.g., variants that differ in specific activity, thermostability, pH optimum, or the like. The variants may be constructed on the basis of the polynucleotide presented as the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, or the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, e.g., a subsequence thereof, and/or by introduction of nucleotide substitutions that do not result in a change in the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide, but which correspond to the codon usage of the host organism intended for production of the enzyme, or by introduction of nucleotide substitutions that may give rise to a different amino acid sequence. For a general description of nucleotide substitution, see, e.g., Ford et al., 1991, Protein Expression and Purification 2: 95-107.

Nucleic Acid Constructs

A polynucleotide encoding a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity may be operably linked to one or more control sequences that direct the expression of the coding sequence in a suitable host cell under conditions compatible with the control sequences.

The polynucleotide may be manipulated in a variety of ways to provide for expression of the polypeptide. Manipulation of the polynucleotide prior to its insertion into a vector may be desirable or necessary depending on the expression vector. The techniques for modifying polynucleotides utilizing recombinant DNA methods are well known in the art.

The control sequence may be a promoter, a polynucleotide that is recognized by a host cell for expression of a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide of the present invention. The promoter contains transcriptional control sequences that mediate the expression of the polypeptide. The promoter may be any polynucleotide that shows transcriptional activity in the host cell including mutant, truncated, and hybrid promoters, and may be obtained from genes encoding extracellular or intracellular polypeptides either homologous or heterologous to the host cell.

Examples of suitable promoters for directing transcription of the nucleic acid constructs of the present invention in a bacterial host cell are the promoters obtained from the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens alpha-amylase gene (amyQ), Bacillus licheniformis alpha-amylase gene (amyL), Bacillus licheniformis penicillinase gene (penP), Bacillus stearothermophilus maltogenic amylase gene (amyM), Bacillus subtilis levansucrase gene (sacB), Bacillus subtilis xylA and xylB genes, Bacillus thuringiensis cryIIIA gene (Agaisse and Lereclus, 1994, Molecular Microbiology 13: 97-107), E. coli lac operon, E. coli trc promoter (Egon et al., 1988, Gene 69: 301-315), Streptomyces coelicolor agarase gene (dagA), and prokaryotic beta-lactamase gene (Villa-Kamaroff et al., 1978, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 75: 3727-3731), as well as the tac promoter (DeBoer et al., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80: 21-25). Further promoters are described in “Useful proteins from recombinant bacteria” in Gilbert et al., 1980, Scientific American 242: 74-94; and in Sambrook et al., 1989, supra. Examples of tandem promoters are disclosed in WO 99/43835.

Examples of suitable promoters for directing transcription of the nucleic acid constructs in a filamentous fungal host cell are promoters obtained from the genes for Aspergillus nidulans acetamidase, Aspergillus niger neutral alpha-amylase, Aspergillus niger acid stable alpha-amylase, Aspergillus niger or Aspergillus awamori glucoamylase (glaA), Aspergillus oryzae TAKA amylase, Aspergillus oryzae alkaline protease, Aspergillus oryzae triose phosphate isomerase, Fusarium oxysporum trypsin-like protease (WO 96/00787), Fusarium venenatum amyloglucosidase (WO 00/56900), Fusarium venenatum Dania (WO 00/56900), Fusarium venenatum Quinn (WO 00/56900), Rhizomucor miehei lipase, Rhizomucor miehei aspartic proteinase, Trichoderma reesei beta-glucosidase, Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I, Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase II, Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase I, Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase II, Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase Ill, Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase V, Trichoderma reesei xylanase I, Trichoderma reesei xylanase II, Trichoderma reesei xylanase Ill, Trichoderma reesei beta-xylosidase, and Trichoderma reesei translation elongation factor, as well as the NA2-tpi promoter (a modified promoter from an Aspergillus neutral alpha-amylase gene in which the untranslated leader has been replaced by an untranslated leader from an Aspergillus triose phosphate isomerase gene; non-limiting examples include modified promoters from an Aspergillus niger neutral alpha-amylase gene in which the untranslated leader has been replaced by an untranslated leader from an Aspergillus nidulans or Aspergillus oryzae triose phosphate isomerase gene); and mutant, truncated, and hybrid promoters thereof. Other promoters are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,147.

In a yeast host, useful promoters are obtained from the genes for Saccharomyces cerevisiae enolase (ENO-1), Saccharomyces cerevisiae galactokinase (GAL1), Saccharomyces cerevisiae alcohol dehydrogenase/glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (ADH1, ADH2/GAP), Saccharomyces cerevisiae triose phosphate isomerase (TPI), Saccharomyces cerevisiae metallothionein (CUP1), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae 3-phosphoglycerate kinase. Other useful promoters for yeast host cells are described by Romanos et al., 1992, Yeast 8: 423-488.

The control sequence may also be a transcription terminator, which is recognized by a host cell to terminate transcription. The terminator is operably linked to the 3′-terminus of the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide. Any terminator that is functional in the host cell may be used in the present invention.

Preferred terminators for bacterial host cells are obtained from the genes for Bacillus clausii alkaline protease (aprH), Bacillus licheniformis alpha-amylase (amyL), and Escherichia coli ribosomal RNA (rrnB).

Preferred terminators for filamentous fungal host cells are obtained from the genes for Aspergillus nidulans acetamidase, Aspergillus nidulans anthranilate synthase, Aspergillus niger glucoamylase, Aspergillus niger alpha-glucosidase, Aspergillus oryzae TAKA amylase, Fusarium oxysporum trypsin-like protease, Trichoderma reesei beta-glucosidase, Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I, Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase II, Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase I, Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase II, Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase III, Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase V, Trichoderma reesei xylanase I, Trichoderma reesei xylanase II, Trichoderma reesei xylanase III, Trichoderma reesei beta-xylosidase, and Trichoderma reesei translation elongation factor.

Preferred terminators for yeast host cells are obtained from the genes for Saccharomyces cerevisiae enolase, Saccharomyces cerevisiae cytochrome C (CYC1), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Other useful terminators for yeast host cells are described by Romanos et al., 1992, supra.

The control sequence may also be an mRNA stabilizer region downstream of a promoter and upstream of the coding sequence of a gene which increases expression of the gene.

Examples of suitable mRNA stabilizer regions are obtained from a Bacillus thuringiensis cryIIIA gene (WO 94/25612) and a Bacillus subtilis SP82 gene (Hue et al., 1995, Journal of Bacteriology 177: 3465-3471).

The control sequence may also be a leader, a nontranslated region of an mRNA that is important for translation by the host cell. The leader is operably linked to the 5′-terminus of the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide. Any leader that is functional in the host cell may be used.

Preferred leaders for filamentous fungal host cells are obtained from the genes for Aspergillus oryzae TAKA amylase and Aspergillus nidulans triose phosphate isomerase.

Suitable leaders for yeast host cells are obtained from the genes for Saccharomyces cerevisiae enolase (ENO-1), Saccharomyces cerevisiae 3-phosphoglycerate kinase, Saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha-factor, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae alcohol dehydrogenase/glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (ADH2/GAP).

The control sequence may also be a polyadenylation sequence, a sequence operably linked to the 3′-terminus of the polynucleotide and, when transcribed, is recognized by the host cell as a signal to add polyadenosine residues to transcribed mRNA. Any polyadenylation sequence that is functional in the host cell may be used.

Preferred polyadenylation sequences for filamentous fungal host cells are obtained from the genes for Aspergillus nidulans anthranilate synthase, Aspergillus niger glucoamylase, Aspergillus niger alpha-glucosidase Aspergillus oryzae TAKA amylase, and Fusarium oxysporum trypsin-like protease.

Useful polyadenylation sequences for yeast host cells are described by Guo and Sherman, 1995, Mol. Cellular Biol. 15: 5983-5990.

The control sequence may also be a signal peptide coding region that encodes a signal peptide linked to the N-terminus of a polypeptide and directs the polypeptide into the cell's secretory pathway. The 5′-end of the coding sequence of the polynucleotide may inherently contain a signal peptide coding sequence naturally linked in translation reading frame with the segment of the coding sequence that encodes the polypeptide. Alternatively, the 5′-end of the coding sequence may contain a signal peptide coding sequence that is foreign to the coding sequence. A foreign signal peptide coding sequence may be required where the coding sequence does not naturally contain a signal peptide coding sequence. Alternatively, a foreign signal peptide coding sequence may simply replace the natural signal peptide coding sequence in order to enhance secretion of the polypeptide. However, any signal peptide coding sequence that directs the expressed polypeptide into the secretory pathway of a host cell may be used.

Effective signal peptide coding sequences for bacterial host cells are the signal peptide coding sequences obtained from the genes for Bacillus NCIB 11837 maltogenic amylase, Bacillus licheniformis subtilisin, Bacillus licheniformis beta-lactamase, Bacillus stearothermophilus alpha-amylase, Bacillus stearothermophilus neutral proteases (nprT, nprS, nprM), and Bacillus subtilis prsA. Further signal peptides are described by Simonen and Palva, 1993, Microbiological Reviews 57: 109-137.

Effective signal peptide coding sequences for filamentous fungal host cells are the signal peptide coding sequences obtained from the genes for Aspergillus niger neutral amylase, Aspergillus niger glucoamylase, Aspergillus oryzae TAKA amylase, Humicola insolens cellulase, Humicola insolens endoglucanase V, Humicola lanuginosa lipase, and Rhizomucor miehei aspartic proteinase.

Useful signal peptides for yeast host cells are obtained from the genes for Saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha-factor and Saccharomyces cerevisiae invertase. Other useful signal peptide coding sequences are described by Romanos et al., 1992, supra.

The control sequence may also be a propeptide coding sequence that encodes a propeptide positioned at the N-terminus of a polypeptide. The resultant polypeptide is known as a proenzyme or propolypeptide (or a zymogen in some cases). A propolypeptide is generally inactive and can be converted to an active polypeptide by catalytic or autocatalytic cleavage of the propeptide from the propolypeptide. The propeptide coding sequence may be obtained from the genes for Bacillus subtilis alkaline protease (aprE), Bacillus subtilis neutral protease (nprT), Myceliophthora thermophila laccase (WO 95/33836), Rhizomucor miehei aspartic proteinase, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha-factor.

Where both signal peptide and propeptide sequences are present, the propeptide sequence is positioned next to the N-terminus of a polypeptide and the signal peptide sequence is positioned next to the N-terminus of the propeptide sequence.

It may also be desirable to add regulatory sequences that regulate expression of the polypeptide relative to the growth of the host cell. Examples of regulatory sequences are those that cause expression of the gene to be turned on or off in response to a chemical or physical stimulus, including the presence of a regulatory compound. Regulatory sequences in prokaryotic systems include the lac, tac, and trp operator systems. In yeast, the ADH2 system or GAL1 system may be used. In filamentous fungi, the Aspergillus niger glucoamylase promoter, Aspergillus oryzae TAKA alpha-amylase promoter, and Aspergillus oryzae glucoamylase promoter, Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I promoter, and Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase II promoter may be used. Other examples of regulatory sequences are those that allow for gene amplification. In eukaryotic systems, these regulatory sequences include the dihydrofolate reductase gene that is amplified in the presence of methotrexate, and the metallothionein genes that are amplified with heavy metals. In these cases, the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide would be operably linked to the regulatory sequence.

Expression Vectors

A polynucleotide encoding a GH61 polypeptide and various nucleic acids and control sequences described herein may be joined together to produce a recombinant expression vector that may include one or more convenient restriction sites to allow for insertion or substitution of the polynucleotide at such sites. Alternatively, the polynucleotide may be expressed by inserting the polynucleotide or a nucleic acid construct comprising the polynucleotide into an appropriate vector for expression. In creating the expression vector, the coding sequence is located in the vector so that the coding sequence is operably linked with the appropriate control sequences for expression.

The recombinant expression vector may be any vector (e.g., a plasmid or virus) that can be conveniently subjected to recombinant DNA procedures and can bring about expression of the polynucleotide. The choice of the vector will typically depend on the compatibility of the vector with the host cell into which the vector is to be introduced. The vector may be a linear or closed circular plasmid.

The vector may be an autonomously replicating vector, i.e., a vector that exists as an extrachromosomal entity, the replication of which is independent of chromosomal replication, e.g., a plasmid, an extrachromosomal element, a minichromosome, or an artificial chromosome. The vector may contain any means for assuring self-replication. Alternatively, the vector may be one that, when introduced into the host cell, is integrated into the genome and replicated together with the chromosome(s) into which it has been integrated. Furthermore, a single vector or plasmid or two or more vectors or plasmids that together contain the total DNA to be introduced into the genome of the host cell, or a transposon, may be used.

The vector preferably contains one or more selectable markers that permit easy selection of transformed, transfected, transduced, or the like cells. A selectable marker is a gene the product of which provides for biocide or viral resistance, resistance to heavy metals, prototrophy to auxotrophs, and the like.

Examples of bacterial selectable markers are Bacillus licheniformis or Bacillus subtilis dal genes, or markers that confer antibiotic resistance such as ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, neomycin, spectinomycin, or tetracycline resistance. Suitable markers for yeast host cells include, but are not limited to, ADE2, HIS3, LEU2, LYS2, MET3, TRP1, and URA3. Selectable markers for use in a filamentous fungal host cell include, but are not limited to, adeA (phosphoribosylaminoimidazole-succinocarboxamide synthase), adeB (phosphoribosyl-aminoimidazole synthase), amdS (acetamidase), argB (ornithine carbamoyltransferase), bar (phosphinothricin acetyltransferase), hph (hygromycin phosphotransferase), niaD (nitrate reductase), pyrG (orotidine-5′-phosphate decarboxylase), sC (sulfate adenyltransferase), and trpC (anthranilate synthase), as well as equivalents thereof. Preferred for use in an Aspergillus cell are Aspergillus nidulans or Aspergillus oryzae amdS and pyrG genes and a Streptomyces hygroscopicus bar gene. Preferred for use in a Trichoderma cell are adeA, adeB, amdS, hph, and pyrG genes.

The selectable marker may be a dual selectable marker system as described in WO 2010/039889. In one aspect, the dual selectable marker is an hph-tk dual selectable marker system.

The vector preferably contains an element(s) that permits integration of the vector into the host cell's genome or autonomous replication of the vector in the cell independent of the genome.

For integration into the host cell genome, the vector may rely on the polynucleotide's sequence encoding the polypeptide or any other element of the vector for integration into the genome by homologous or non-homologous recombination. Alternatively, the vector may contain additional polynucleotides for directing integration by homologous recombination into the genome of the host cell at a precise location(s) in the chromosome(s). To increase the likelihood of integration at a precise location, the integrational elements should contain a sufficient number of nucleic acids, such as 100 to 10,000 base pairs, 400 to 10,000 base pairs, and 800 to 10,000 base pairs, which have a high degree of sequence identity to the corresponding target sequence to enhance the probability of homologous recombination. The integrational elements may be any sequence that is homologous with the target sequence in the genome of the host cell. Furthermore, the integrational elements may be non-encoding or encoding polynucleotides. On the other hand, the vector may be integrated into the genome of the host cell by non-homologous recombination.

For autonomous replication, the vector may further comprise an origin of replication enabling the vector to replicate autonomously in the host cell in question. The origin of replication may be any plasmid replicator mediating autonomous replication that functions in a cell. The term “origin of replication” or “plasmid replicator” means a polynucleotide that enables a plasmid or vector to replicate in vivo.

Examples of bacterial origins of replication are the origins of replication of plasmids pBR322, pUC19, pACYC177, and pACYC184 permitting replication in E. coli, and pUB110, pE194, pTA1060, and pAMβ1 permitting replication in Bacillus.

Examples of origins of replication for use in a yeast host cell are the 2 micron origin of replication, ARS1, ARS4, the combination of ARS1 and CEN3, and the combination of ARS4 and CEN6.

Examples of origins of replication useful in a filamentous fungal cell are AMA1 and ANSI (Gems et al., 1991, Gene 98: 61-67; Cullen et al., 1987, Nucleic Acids Res. 15: 9163-9175; WO 00/24883). Isolation of the AMA1 gene and construction of plasmids or vectors comprising the gene can be accomplished according to the methods disclosed in WO 00/24883.

More than one copy of a polynucleotide of the present invention may be inserted into a host cell to increase production of a polypeptide. An increase in the copy number of the polynucleotide can be obtained by integrating at least one additional copy of the sequence into the host cell genome or by including an amplifiable selectable marker gene with the polynucleotide where cells containing amplified copies of the selectable marker gene, and thereby additional copies of the polynucleotide, can be selected for by cultivating the cells in the presence of the appropriate selectable agent.

The procedures used to ligate the elements described above to construct the recombinant expression vectors are well known to one skilled in the art (see, e.g., Sambrook et al., 1989, supra).

Host Cells

Recombinant host cells comprising a polynucleotide encoding a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity operably linked to one or more control sequences that direct the production of a polypeptide can be advantageously used in the recombinant production of the polypeptide. A construct or vector comprising a polynucleotide is introduced into a host cell so that the construct or vector is maintained as a chromosomal integrant or as a self-replicating extra-chromosomal vector as described earlier. The term “host cell” encompasses any progeny of a parent cell that is not identical to the parent cell due to mutations that occur during replication. The choice of a host cell will to a large extent depend upon the gene encoding the polypeptide and its source.

The host cell may be any cell useful in the recombinant production of a polypeptide of the present invention, e.g., a prokaryote or a eukaryote.

The prokaryotic host cell may be any Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacterium. Gram-positive bacteria include, but are not limited to, Bacillus, Clostridium, Enterococcus, Geobacillus, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Oceanobacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Streptomyces. Gram-negative bacteria include, but are not limited to, Campylobacter, E. coli, Flavobacterium, Fusobacterium, Helicobacter, Ilyobacter, Neisseria, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, and Ureaplasma.

The bacterial host cell may be any Bacillus cell including, but not limited to, Bacillus alkalophilus, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus brevis, Bacillus circulans, Bacillus clausii, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus firmus, Bacillus lautus, Bacillus lentus, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus stearothermophilus, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus thuringiensis cells.

The bacterial host cell may also be any Streptococcus cell including, but not limited to, Streptococcus equisimilis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus uberis, and Streptococcus equi subsp. Zooepidemicus cells.

The bacterial host cell may also be any Streptomyces cell including, but not limited to, Streptomyces achromogenes, Streptomyces avermitilis, Streptomyces coelicolor, Streptomyces griseus, and Streptomyces lividans cells.

The introduction of DNA into a Bacillus cell may be effected by protoplast transformation (see, e.g., Chang and Cohen, 1979, Mol. Gen. Genet. 168: 111-115), competent cell transformation (see, e.g., Young and Spizizen, 1961, J. Bacteriol. 81: 823-829, or Dubnau and Davidoff-Abelson, 1971, J. Mol. Biol. 56: 209-221), electroporation (see, e.g., Shigekawa and Dower, 1988, Biotechniques 6: 742-751), or conjugation (see, e.g., Koehler and Thorne, 1987, J. Bacteriol. 169: 5271-5278). The introduction of DNA into an E. coli cell may be effected by protoplast transformation (see, e.g., Hanahan, 1983, J. Mol. Biol. 166: 557-580) or electroporation (see, e.g., Dower et al., 1988, Nucleic Acids Res. 16: 6127-6145). The introduction of DNA into a Streptomyces cell may be effected by protoplast transformation, electroporation (see, e.g., Gong et al., 2004, Folia Microbiol. (Praha) 49: 399-405), conjugation (see, e.g., Mazodier et al., 1989, J. Bacteriol. 171: 3583-3585), or transduction (see, e.g., Burke et al., 2001, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98: 6289-6294). The introduction of DNA into a Pseudomonas cell may be effected by electroporation (see, e.g., Choi et al., 2006, J. Microbiol. Methods 64: 391-397) or conjugation (see, e.g., Pinedo and Smets, 2005, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 51-57). The introduction of DNA into a Streptococcus cell may be effected by natural competence (see, e.g., Perry and Kuramitsu, 1981, Infect. Immun. 32: 1295-1297), protoplast transformation (see, e.g., Catt and Jollick, 1991, Microbios 68: 189-207), electroporation (see, e.g., Buckley et al., 1999, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65: 3800-3804), or conjugation (see, e.g., Clewell, 1981, Microbiol. Rev. 45: 409-436). However, any method known in the art for introducing DNA into a host cell can be used.

The host cell may also be a eukaryote, such as a mammalian, insect, plant, or fungal cell.

The host cell may be a fungal cell. “Fungi” as used herein includes the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, and Zygomycota as well as the Oomycota and all mitosporic fungi (as defined by Hawksworth et al., In, Ainsworth and Bisby's Dictionary of The Fungi, 8th edition, 1995, CAB International, University Press, Cambridge, UK).

The fungal host cell may be a yeast cell. “Yeast” as used herein includes ascosporogenous yeast (Endomycetales), basidiosporogenous yeast, and yeast belonging to the Fungi Imperfecti (Blastomycetes). Since the classification of yeast may change in the future, for the purposes of this invention, yeast shall be defined as described in Biology and Activities of Yeast (Skinner, Passmore, and Davenport, editors, Soc. App. Bacteriol. Symposium Series No. 9, 1980).

The yeast host cell may be a Candida, Hansenula, Kluyveromyces, Pichia, Saccharomyces, Schizosaccharomyces, or Yarrowia cell such as a Kluyveromyces lactis, Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces diastaticus, Saccharomyces douglasii, Saccharomyces kluyveri, Saccharomyces norbensis, Saccharomyces oviformis, or Yarrowia lipolytica cell.

The fungal host cell may be a filamentous fungal cell. “Filamentous fungi” include all filamentous forms of the subdivision Eumycota and Oomycota (as defined by Hawksworth et al., 1995, supra). The filamentous fungi are generally characterized by a mycelial wall composed of chitin, cellulose, glucan, chitosan, mannan, and other complex polysaccharides. Vegetative growth is by hyphal elongation and carbon catabolism is obligately aerobic. In contrast, vegetative growth by yeasts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae is by budding of a unicellular thallus and carbon catabolism may be fermentative.

The filamentous fungal host cell may be an Acremonium, Aspergillus, Aureobasidium, Bjerkandera, Ceriporiopsis, Chrysosporium, Coprinus, Coriolus, Cryptococcus, Filibasidium, Fusarium, Humicola, Magnaporthe, Mucor, Myceliophthora, Neocallimastix, Neurospora, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Phanerochaete, Phlebia, Piromyces, Pleurotus, Schizophyllum, Talaromyces, Thermoascus, Thielavia, Tolypocladium, Trametes, or Trichoderma cell.

For example, the filamentous fungal host cell may be an Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus foetidus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus japonicus, Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Bjerkandera adusta, Ceriporiopsis aneirina, Ceriporiopsis caregiea, Ceriporiopsis gilvescens, Ceriporiopsis pannocinta, Ceriporiopsis rivulosa, Ceriporiopsis subrufa, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora, Chrysosporium inops, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium pannicola, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, Chrysosporium tropicum, Chrysosporium zonatum, Coprinus cinereus, Coriolus hirsutus, Fusarium bactridioides, Fusarium cerealis, Fusarium crookwellense, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium graminum, Fusarium heterosporum, Fusarium negundi, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium reticulatum, Fusarium roseum, Fusarium sambucinum, Fusarium sarcochroum, Fusarium sporotrichioides, Fusarium sulphureum, Fusarium torulosum, Fusarium trichothecioides, Fusarium venenatum, Humicola insolens, Humicola lanuginosa, Mucor miehei, Myceliophthora thermophila, Neurospora crassa, Penicillium purpurogenum, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Phlebia radiata, Pleurotus eryngii, Thielavia terrestris, Trametes villosa, Trametes versicolor, Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma koningii, Trichoderma longibrachiatum, Trichoderma reesei, or Trichoderma viride cell.

Fungal cells may be transformed by a process involving protoplast formation, transformation of the protoplasts, and regeneration of the cell wall in a manner known per se. Suitable procedures for transformation of Aspergillus and Trichoderma host cells are described in EP 238023, Yelton et al., 1984, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81: 1470-1474, and Christensen et al., 1988, Bio/Technology 6: 1419-1422. Suitable methods for transforming Fusarium species are described by Malardier et al., 1989, Gene 78: 147-156, and WO 96/00787. Yeast may be transformed using the procedures described by Becker and Guarente, In Abelson, J. N. and Simon, M. I., editors, Guide to Yeast Genetics and Molecular Biology, Methods in Enzymology, Volume 194, pp. 182-187, Academic Press, Inc., New York; Ito et al., 1983, J. Bacteriol. 153: 163; and Hinnen et al., 1978, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 75: 1920.

Methods of Production

A GH61 polypeptide of the present invention can be produced using methods comprising: (a) cultivating a cell, which in its wild-type form produces the polypeptide, under conditions conducive for production of the polypeptide; and optionally (b) recovering the polypeptide. In one aspect, the cell is a Trichoderma or Hypocrea cell. In another aspect, the cell is a Trichoderma virens (Hypocrea virens) cell. In another aspect, the cell is a Trichoderma atroviride (Hypocrea atroviridis) cell. In another aspect, the polypeptide is a Trichoderma saturnisporum (Hypocrea saturnisporum) cell.

A GH61 polypeptide of the present invention can also be produced using methods comprising: (a) cultivating a recombinant host cell of the present invention under conditions conducive for production of the polypeptide; and optionally (b) recovering the polypeptide.

The host cells are cultivated in a nutrient medium suitable for production of the polypeptide using methods known in the art. For example, the cells may be cultivated by shake flask cultivation, or small-scale or large-scale fermentation (including continuous, batch, fed-batch, or solid state fermentations) in laboratory or industrial fermentors in a suitable medium and under conditions allowing the polypeptide to be expressed and/or isolated. The cultivation takes place in a suitable nutrient medium comprising carbon and nitrogen sources and inorganic salts, using procedures known in the art. Suitable media are available from commercial suppliers or may be prepared according to published compositions (e.g., in catalogues of the American Type Culture Collection). If the polypeptide is secreted into the nutrient medium, the polypeptide can be recovered directly from the medium. If the polypeptide is not secreted, it can be recovered from cell lysates.

The GH61 polypeptide may be detected using methods known in the art that are specific for the polypeptides. These detection methods include, but are not limited to, use of specific antibodies, formation of an enzyme product, or disappearance of an enzyme substrate. For example, an enzyme assay may be used to determine the activity of the GH61 polypeptide, as described herein.

The GH61 polypeptide may be recovered using methods known in the art. For example, the polypeptide may be recovered from the nutrient medium by conventional procedures including, but not limited to, collection, centrifugation, filtration, extraction, spray-drying, evaporation, or precipitation. In one aspect, a whole fermentation broth comprising the GH61 polypeptide is recovered.

The Gh61 polypeptide may be purified by a variety of procedures known in the art including, but not limited to, chromatography (e.g., ion exchange, affinity, hydrophobic, chromatofocusing, and size exclusion), electrophoretic procedures (e.g., preparative isoelectric focusing), differential solubility (e.g., ammonium sulfate precipitation), SDS-PAGE, or extraction (see, e.g., Protein Purification, Janson and Ryden, editors, VCH Publishers, New York, 1989) to obtain substantially pure polypeptides.

Fermentation Broth Formulations or Cell Compositions

The present invention also relates to a fermentation broth formulation or a cell composition comprising a GH61 polypeptide of the present invention. The fermentation broth product further comprises additional ingredients used in the fermentation process, such as, for example, cells (including, the host cells containing the gene encoding the polypeptide of the present invention which are used to produce the polypeptide), cell debris, biomass, fermentation media and/or fermentation products. In some embodiments, the composition is a cell-killed whole broth containing organic acid(s), killed cells and/or cell debris, and culture medium.

The term “fermentation broth” as used herein refers to a preparation produced by cellular fermentation that undergoes no or minimal recovery and/or purification. For example, fermentation broths are produced when microbial cultures are grown to saturation, incubated under carbon-limiting conditions to allow protein synthesis (e.g., expression of enzymes by host cells) and secretion into cell culture medium. The fermentation broth can contain unfractionated or fractionated contents of the fermentation materials derived at the end of the fermentation. Typically, the fermentation broth is unfractionated and comprises the spent culture medium and cell debris present after the microbial cells (e.g., filamentous fungal cells) are removed, e.g., by centrifugation. In some embodiments, the fermentation broth contains spent cell culture medium, extracellular enzymes, and viable and/or nonviable microbial cells.

In an embodiment, the fermentation broth formulation and cell compositions comprise a first organic acid component comprising at least one 1-5 carbon organic acid and/or a salt thereof and a second organic acid component comprising at least one 6 or more carbon organic acid and/or a salt thereof. In a specific embodiment, the first organic acid component is acetic acid, formic acid, propionic acid, a salt thereof, or a mixture of two or more of the foregoing and the second organic acid component is benzoic acid, cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, 4-methylvaleric acid, phenylacetic acid, a salt thereof, or a mixture of two or more of the foregoing.

In one aspect, the composition contains an organic acid(s), and optionally further contains killed cells and/or cell debris. In one embodiment, the killed cells and/or cell debris are removed from a cell-killed whole broth to provide a composition that is free of these components.

The fermentation broth formulations or cell compositions may further comprise a preservative and/or anti-microbial (e.g., bacteriostatic) agent, including, but not limited to, sorbitol, sodium chloride, potassium sorbate, and others known in the art.

The fermentation broth formulations or cell compositions may further comprise multiple enzymatic activities, such as one or more (e.g., several) enzymes selected from the group consisting of a cellulase, a hemicellulase, an esterase, an expansin, a laccase, a ligninolytic enzyme, a pectinase, a catalase, a peroxidase, a protease, and a swollenin. The fermentation broth formulations or cell compositions may also comprise one or more (e.g., several) enzymes selected from the group consisting of a hydrolase, an isomerase, a ligase, a lyase, an oxidoreductase, or a transferase, e.g., an alpha-galactosidase, alpha-glucosidase, aminopeptidase, amylase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucosidase, beta-xylosidase, carbohydrase, carboxypeptidase, catalase, cellobiohydrolase, cellulase, chitinase, cutinase, cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase, deoxyribonuclease, endoglucanase, esterase, glucoamylase, invertase, laccase, lipase, mannosidase, mutanase, oxidase, pectinolytic enzyme, peroxidase, phytase, polyphenoloxidase, proteolytic enzyme, ribonuclease, transglutaminase, or xylanase.

The cell-killed whole broth or composition may contain the unfractionated contents of the fermentation materials derived at the end of the fermentation. Typically, the cell-killed whole broth or composition contains the spent culture medium and cell debris present after the microbial cells (e.g., filamentous fungal cells) are grown to saturation, incubated under carbon-limiting conditions to allow protein synthesis (e.g., expression of cellulase and/or glucosidase enzyme(s)). In some embodiments, the cell-killed whole broth or composition contains the spent cell culture medium, extracellular enzymes, and killed filamentous fungal cells. In some embodiments, the microbial cells present in the cell-killed whole broth or composition can be permeabilized and/or lysed using methods known in the art.

A whole broth or cell composition as described herein is typically a liquid, but may contain insoluble components, such as killed cells, cell debris, culture media components, and/or insoluble enzyme(s). In some embodiments, insoluble components may be removed to provide a clarified liquid composition.

The whole broth formulations and cell compositions of the present invention may be produced by a method described in WO 90/15861 or WO 2010/096673.

The dosage of the composition and other conditions under which the composition is used may be determined on the basis of methods known in the art.

Enzyme Compositions

The present invention also relates to compositions comprising a GH61 polypeptide of the present invention. Preferably, the compositions are enriched in such a polypeptide. The term “enriched” indicates that the cellulolytic enhancing activity of the composition has been increased, e.g., with an enrichment factor of at least 1.1.

The compositions may comprise a polypeptide of the present invention as the major enzymatic component, e.g., a mono-component composition. Alternatively, the compositions may comprise multiple enzymatic activities, such as one or more (e.g., several) enzymes selected from the group consisting of a cellulase, a hemicellulase, an esterase, an expansin, a laccase, a ligninolytic enzyme, a pectinase, a catalase, a peroxidase, a protease, and a swollenin. The compositions may also comprise one or more (e.g., several) enzymes selected from the group consisting of a hydrolase, an isomerase, a ligase, a lyase, an oxidoreductase, or a transferase, e.g., an alpha-galactosidase, alpha-glucosidase, aminopeptidase, amylase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucosidase, beta-xylosidase, carbohydrase, carboxypeptidase, catalase, cellobiohydrolase, cellulase, chitinase, cutinase, cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase, deoxyribonuclease, endoglucanase, esterase, glucoamylase, invertase, laccase, lipase, mannosidase, mutanase, oxidase, pectinolytic enzyme, peroxidase, phytase, polyphenoloxidase, proteolytic enzyme, ribonuclease, transglutaminase, or xylanase.

The compositions may be prepared in accordance with methods known in the art and may be in the form of a liquid or a dry composition. The compositions may be stabilized in accordance with methods known in the art.

Processing of Cellulosic Material

The processes of the present invention can be used to saccharify a cellulosic material to fermentable sugars and to convert the fermentable sugars to many useful fermentation products, e.g., fuel (ethanol, n-butanol, isobutanol, biodiesel, jet fuel) and/or platform chemicals (e.g., acids, alcohols, ketones, gases, oils, and the like). The production of a desired fermentation product from the cellulosic material typically involves pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis (saccharification), and fermentation.

The processing of a cellulosic material according to the processes of the present invention can be accomplished using methods conventional in the art. Moreover, the processes of the present invention can be implemented using any conventional biomass processing apparatus configured to operate in accordance with the invention. The production of a desired fermentation product from the cellulosic material typically involves pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis (saccharification), and fermentation.

Hydrolysis (saccharification) and fermentation, separate or simultaneous, include, but are not limited to, separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF); simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF); simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF); hybrid hydrolysis and fermentation (HHF); separate hydrolysis and co-fermentation (SHCF); hybrid hydrolysis and co-fermentation (HHCF); and direct microbial conversion (DMC), also sometimes called consolidated bioprocessing (CBP). SHF uses separate process steps to first enzymatically hydrolyze the cellulosic material to fermentable sugars, e.g., glucose, cellobiose, and pentose monomers, and then ferment the fermentable sugars to ethanol. In SSF, the enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulosic material and the fermentation of sugars to ethanol are combined in one step (Philippidis, G. P., 1996, Cellulose bioconversion technology, in Handbook on Bioethanol: Production and Utilization, Wyman, C. E., ed., Taylor & Francis, Washington, D.C., 179-212). SSCF involves the co-fermentation of multiple sugars (Sheehan and Himmel, 1999, Biotechnol. Prog. 15: 817-827). HHF involves a separate hydrolysis step, and in addition a simultaneous saccharification and hydrolysis step, which can be carried out in the same reactor. The steps in an HHF process can be carried out at different temperatures, i.e., high temperature enzymatic saccharification followed by SSF at a lower temperature that the fermentation strain can tolerate. DMC combines all three processes (enzyme production, hydrolysis, and fermentation) in one or more (e.g., several) steps where the same organism is used to produce the enzymes for conversion of the cellulosic material to fermentable sugars and to convert the fermentable sugars into a final product (Lynd et al., 2002, Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Reviews 66: 506-577). It is understood herein that any method known in the art comprising pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis (saccharification), fermentation, or a combination thereof, can be used in the practicing the processes of the present invention.

A conventional apparatus can include a fed-batch stirred reactor, a batch stirred reactor, a continuous flow stirred reactor with ultrafiltration, and/or a continuous plug-flow column reactor (de Castilhos Corazza et al., 2003, Acta Scientiarum. Technology 25: 33-38; Gusakov and Sinitsyn, 1985, Enz. Microb. Technol. 7: 346-352), an attrition reactor (Ryu and Lee, 1983, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 25: 53-65). Additional reactor types include fluidized bed, upflow blanket, immobilized, and extruder type reactors for hydrolysis and/or fermentation.

Pretreatment.

In practicing the processes of the present invention, any pretreatment process known in the art can be used to disrupt plant cell wall components of the cellulosic material (Chandra et al., 2007, Adv. Biochem. Engin./Biotechnol. 108: 67-93; Galbe and Zacchi, 2007, Adv. Biochem. Engin./Biotechnol. 108: 41-65; Hendriks and Zeeman, 2009, Bioresource Technology 100: 10-18; Mosier et al., 2005, Bioresource Technology 96: 673-686; Taherzadeh and Karimi, 2008, Int. J. Mol. Sci. 9: 1621-1651; Yang and Wyman, 2008, Biofuels Bioproducts and Biorefining-Biofpr. 2: 26-40).

The cellulosic material can also be subjected to particle size reduction, sieving, pre-soaking, wetting, washing, and/or conditioning prior to pretreatment using methods known in the art.

Conventional pretreatments include, but are not limited to, steam pretreatment (with or without explosion), dilute acid pretreatment, hot water pretreatment, alkaline pretreatment, lime pretreatment, wet oxidation, wet explosion, ammonia fiber explosion, organosolv pretreatment, and biological pretreatment. Additional pretreatments include ammonia percolation, ultrasound, electroporation, microwave, supercritical CO₂, supercritical H₂O, ozone, ionic liquid, and gamma irradiation pretreatments.

The cellulosic material can be pretreated before hydrolysis and/or fermentation. Pretreatment is preferably performed prior to the hydrolysis. Alternatively, the pretreatment can be carried out simultaneously with enzyme hydrolysis to release fermentable sugars, such as glucose, xylose, and/or cellobiose. In most cases the pretreatment step itself results in some conversion of biomass to fermentable sugars (even in absence of enzymes).

Steam Pretreatment. In steam pretreatment, the cellulosic material is heated to disrupt the plant cell wall components, including lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose to make the cellulose and other fractions, e.g., hemicellulose, accessible to enzymes. The cellulosic material is passed to or through a reaction vessel where steam is injected to increase the temperature to the required temperature and pressure and is retained therein for the desired reaction time. Steam pretreatment is preferably performed at 140-250° C., e.g., 160-200° C. or 170-190° C., where the optimal temperature range depends on optional addition of a chemical catalyst. Residence time for the steam pretreatment is preferably 1-60 minutes, e.g., 1-30 minutes, 1-20 minutes, 3-12 minutes, or 4-10 minutes, where the optimal residence time depends on the temperature and optional addition of a chemical catalyst. Steam pretreatment allows for relatively high solids loadings, so that the cellulosic material is generally only moist during the pretreatment. The steam pretreatment is often combined with an explosive discharge of the material after the pretreatment, which is known as steam explosion, that is, rapid flashing to atmospheric pressure and turbulent flow of the material to increase the accessible surface area by fragmentation (Duff and Murray, 1996, Bioresource Technology 855: 1-33; Galbe and Zacchi, 2002, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 59: 618-628; U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0164730). During steam pretreatment, hemicellulose acetyl groups are cleaved and the resulting acid autocatalyzes partial hydrolysis of the hemicellulose to monosaccharides and oligosaccharides. Lignin is removed to only a limited extent.

Chemical Pretreatment: The term “chemical treatment” refers to any chemical pretreatment that promotes the separation and/or release of cellulose, hemicellulose, and/or lignin. Such a pretreatment can convert crystalline cellulose to amorphous cellulose. Examples of suitable chemical pretreatment processes include, for example, dilute acid pretreatment, lime pretreatment, wet oxidation, ammonia fiber/freeze expansion (AFEX), ammonia percolation (APR), ionic liquid, and organosolv pretreatments.

A chemical catalyst such as H₂SO₄or SO₂(typically 0.3 to 5% w/w) is sometimes added prior to steam pretreatment, which decreases the time and temperature, increases the recovery, and improves enzymatic hydrolysis (Ballesteros et al., 2006, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 129-132: 496-508; Varga et al., 2004, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 113-116: 509-523; Sassner et al., 2006, Enzyme Microb. Technol. 39: 756-762). In dilute acid pretreatment, the cellulosic material is mixed with dilute acid, typically H₂SO₄, and water to form a slurry, heated by steam to the desired temperature, and after a residence time flashed to atmospheric pressure. The dilute acid pretreatment can be performed with a number of reactor designs, e.g., plug-flow reactors, counter-current reactors, or continuous counter-current shrinking bed reactors (Duff and Murray, 1996, supra; Schell et al., 2004, Bioresource Technology 91: 179-188; Lee et al., 1999, Adv. Biochem. Eng. Biotechnol. 65: 93-115).

Several methods of pretreatment under alkaline conditions can also be used. These alkaline pretreatments include, but are not limited to, sodium hydroxide, lime, wet oxidation, ammonia percolation (APR), and ammonia fiber/freeze expansion (AFEX) pretreatment.

Lime pretreatment is performed with calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide at temperatures of 85-150° C. and residence times from 1 hour to several days (Wyman et al., 2005, Bioresource Technology 96: 1959-1966; Mosier et al., 2005, Bioresource Technology 96: 673-686). WO 2006/110891, WO 2006/110899, WO 2006/110900, and WO 2006/110901 disclose pretreatment methods using ammonia.

Wet oxidation is a thermal pretreatment performed typically at 180-200° C. for 5-15 minutes with addition of an oxidative agent such as hydrogen peroxide or over-pressure of oxygen (Schmidt and Thomsen, 1998, Bioresource Technology 64: 139-151; Palonen et al., 2004, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 117: 1-17; Varga et al., 2004, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 88: 567-574; Martin et al., 2006, J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 81: 1669-1677). The pretreatment is performed preferably at 1-40% dry matter, e.g., 2-30% dry matter or 5-20% dry matter, and often the initial pH is increased by the addition of alkali such as sodium carbonate.

A modification of the wet oxidation pretreatment method, known as wet explosion (combination of wet oxidation and steam explosion) can handle dry matter up to 30%. In wet explosion, the oxidizing agent is introduced during pretreatment after a certain residence time. The pretreatment is then ended by flashing to atmospheric pressure (WO 2006/032282).

Ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) involves treating the cellulosic material with liquid or gaseous ammonia at moderate temperatures such as 90-150° C. and high pressure such as 17-20 bar for 5-10 minutes, where the dry matter content can be as high as 60% (Gollapalli et al., 2002, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 98: 23-35; Chundawat et al., 2007, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 96: 219-231; Alizadeh et al., 2005, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 121: 1133-1141; Teymouri et al., 2005, Bioresource Technology 96: 2014-2018). During AFEX pretreatment cellulose and hemicelluloses remain relatively intact. Lignin-carbohydrate complexes are cleaved.

Organosolv pretreatment delignifies the cellulosic material by extraction using aqueous ethanol (40-60% ethanol) at 160-200° C. for 30-60 minutes (Pan et al., 2005, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 90: 473-481; Pan et al., 2006, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 94: 851-861; Kurabi et al., 2005, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 121: 219-230). Sulphuric acid is usually added as a catalyst. In organosolv pretreatment, the majority of hemicellulose and lignin is removed.

Other examples of suitable pretreatment methods are described by Schell et al., 2003, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 105-108: 69-85, and Mosier et al., 2005, Bioresource Technology 96: 673-686, and U.S. Published Application 2002/0164730.

In one aspect, the chemical pretreatment is preferably carried out as a dilute acid treatment, and more preferably as a continuous dilute acid treatment. The acid is typically sulfuric acid, but other acids can also be used, such as acetic acid, citric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, hydrogen chloride, or mixtures thereof. Mild acid treatment is conducted in the pH range of preferably 1-5, e.g., 1-4 or 1-2.5. In one aspect, the acid concentration is in the range from preferably 0.01 to 10 wt % acid, e.g., 0.05 to 5 wt % acid or 0.1 to 2 wt % acid. The acid is contacted with the cellulosic material and held at a temperature in the range of preferably 140-200° C., e.g., 165-190° C., for periods ranging from 1 to 60 minutes.

In another aspect, pretreatment takes place in an aqueous slurry. In preferred aspects, the cellulosic material is present during pretreatment in amounts preferably between 10-80 wt. %, e.g., 20-70 wt. % or 30-60 wt. %, such as around 40 wt. %. The pretreated cellulosic material can be unwashed or washed using any method known in the art, e.g., washed with water.

Mechanical Pretreatment or Physical Pretreatment: The term “mechanical pretreatment” or “physical pretreatment” refers to any pretreatment that promotes size reduction of particles. For example, such pretreatment can involve various types of grinding or milling (e.g., dry milling, wet milling, or vibratory ball milling).

The cellulosic material can be pretreated both physically (mechanically) and chemically. Mechanical or physical pretreatment can be coupled with steaming/steam explosion, hydrothermolysis, dilute or mild acid treatment, high temperature, high pressure treatment, irradiation (e.g., microwave irradiation), or combinations thereof. In one aspect, high pressure means pressure in the range of preferably about 100 to about 400 psi, e.g., about 150 to about 250 psi. In another aspect, high temperature means temperature in the range of about 100 to about 300° C., e.g., about 140 to about 200° C. In a preferred aspect, mechanical or physical pretreatment is performed in a batch-process using a steam gun hydrolyzer system that uses high pressure and high temperature as defined above, e.g., a Sunds Hydrolyzer available from Sunds Defibrator AB, Sweden. The physical and chemical pretreatments can be carried out sequentially or simultaneously, as desired.

Accordingly, in a preferred aspect, the cellulosic material is subjected to physical (mechanical) or chemical pretreatment, or any combination thereof, to promote the separation and/or release of cellulose, hemicellulose, and/or lignin.

Biological Pretreatment: The term “biological pretreatment” refers to any biological pretreatment that promotes the separation and/or release of cellulose, hemicellulose, and/or lignin from the cellulosic material. Biological pretreatment techniques can involve applying lignin-solubilizing microorganisms and/or enzymes (see, for example, Hsu, T.-A., 1996, Pretreatment of biomass, in Handbook on Bioethanol: Production and Utilization, Wyman, C. E., ed., Taylor & Francis, Washington, D.C., 179-212; Ghosh and Singh, 1993, Adv. Appl. Microbiol. 39: 295-333; McMillan, J. D., 1994, Pretreating lignocellulosic biomass: a review, in Enzymatic Conversion of Biomass for Fuels Production, Himmel, M. E., Baker, J. O., and Overend, R. P., eds., ACS Symposium Series 566, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., chapter 15; Gong, C. S., Cao, N. J., Du, J., and Tsao, G. T., 1999, Ethanol production from renewable resources, in Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology, Scheper, T., ed., Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, Germany, 65: 207-241; Olsson and Hahn-Hagerdal, 1996, Enz. Microb. Tech. 18: 312-331; and Vallander and Eriksson, 1990, Adv. Biochem. Eng./Biotechnol. 42: 63-95).

Saccharification.

In the hydrolysis step, also known as saccharification, the cellulosic material, e.g., pretreated, is hydrolyzed to break down cellulose and/or hemicellulose to fermentable sugars, such as glucose, cellobiose, xylose, xylulose, arabinose, mannose, galactose, and/or soluble oligosaccharides. The hydrolysis is performed enzymatically by an enzyme composition in the presence of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity of the present invention. The enzymes of the compositions can be added simultaneously or sequentially.

Enzymatic hydrolysis is preferably carried out in a suitable aqueous environment under conditions that can be readily determined by one skilled in the art. In one aspect, hydrolysis is performed under conditions suitable for the activity of the enzyme(s), i.e., optimal for the enzymes. The hydrolysis can be carried out as a fed batch or continuous process where the cellulosic material is fed gradually to, for example, an enzyme containing hydrolysis solution.

The saccharification is generally performed in stirred-tank reactors or fermentors under controlled pH, temperature, and mixing conditions. Suitable process time, temperature and pH conditions can readily be determined by one skilled in the art. For example, the saccharification can last up to 200 hours, but is typically performed for preferably about 12 to about 120 hours, e.g., about 16 to about 72 hours or about 24 to about 48 hours. The temperature is in the range of preferably about 25° C. to about 70° C., e.g., about 30° C. to about 65° C., about 40° C. to about 60° C., or about 50° C. to about 55° C. The pH is in the range of preferably about 3 to about 8, e.g., about 3.5 to about 7, about 4 to about 6, or about 4.5 to about 5.5. The dry solids content is in the range of preferably about 5 to about 50 wt. %, e.g., about 10 to about 40 wt. % or about 20 to about 30 wt. %.

The enzyme compositions can comprise any protein useful in degrading the cellulosic material.

In one aspect, the enzyme composition comprises or further comprises one or more (e.g., several) proteins selected from the group consisting of a cellulase, a hemicellulase, an esterase, an expansin, a laccase, a ligninolytic enzyme, a pectinase, a catalase, a peroxidase, a protease, and a swollenin. In another aspect, the cellulase is preferably one or more (e.g., several) enzymes selected from the group consisting of an endoglucanase, a cellobiohydrolase, and a beta-glucosidase. In another aspect, the hemicellulase is preferably one or more (e.g., several) enzymes selected from the group consisting of an acetylmannan esterase, an acetylxylan esterase, an arabinanase, an arabinofuranosidase, a coumaric acid esterase, a feruloyl esterase, a galactosidase, a glucuronidase, a glucuronoyl esterase, a mannanase, a mannosidase, a xylanase, and a xylosidase.

In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises one or more (e.g., several) cellulolytic enzymes. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises or further comprises one or more (e.g., several) hemicellulolytic enzymes. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises one or more (e.g., several) cellulolytic enzymes and one or more (e.g., several) hemicellulolytic enzymes. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises one or more (e.g., several) enzymes selected from the group of cellulolytic enzymes and hemicellulolytic enzymes. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase I, a cellobiohydrolase II, or a combination of a cellobiohydrolase I and a cellobiohydrolase II. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a beta-glucosidase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase and a cellobiohydrolase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase and a cellobiohydrolase I, a cellobiohydrolase II, or a combination of a cellobiohydrolase I and a cellobiohydrolase II. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase and a beta-glucosidase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a beta-glucosidase and a cellobiohydrolase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a beta-glucosidase and a cellobiohydrolase I, a cellobiohydrolase II, or a combination of a cellobiohydrolase I and a cellobiohydrolase II. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase, a beta-glucosidase, and a cellobiohydrolase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase, a beta-glucosidase, and a cellobiohydrolase I, a cellobiohydrolase II, or a combination of a cellobiohydrolase I and a cellobiohydrolase II.

In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises an acetylmannan esterase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises an acetylxylan esterase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises an arabinanase (e.g., alpha-L-arabinanase). In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises an arabinofuranosidase (e.g., alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase). In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a coumaric acid esterase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a feruloyl esterase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a galactosidase (e.g., alpha-galactosidase and/or beta-galactosidase). In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a glucuronidase (e.g., alpha-D-glucuronidase). In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a glucuronoyl esterase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a mannanase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a mannosidase (e.g., beta-mannosidase). In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a xylanase. In an embodiment, the xylanase is a Family 10 xylanase. In another embodiment, the xylanase is a Family 11 xylanase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a xylosidase (e.g., beta-xylosidase).

In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises an esterase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises an expansin. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a laccase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a ligninolytic enzyme. In a preferred aspect, the ligninolytic enzyme is a manganese peroxidase. In another preferred aspect, the ligninolytic enzyme is a lignin peroxidase. In another preferred aspect, the ligninolytic enzyme is a H₂O₂-producing enzyme. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a pectinase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a catalase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a peroxidase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a protease. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a swollenin.

In the processes of the present invention, the enzyme(s) can be added prior to or during saccharification, saccharification and fermentation, or fermentation.

One or more (e.g., several) components of the enzyme composition may be native proteins, recombinant proteins, or a combination of native proteins and recombinant proteins. For example, one or more (e.g., several) components may be native proteins of a cell, which is used as a host cell to express recombinantly one or more (e.g., several) other components of the enzyme composition. It is understood herein that the recombinant proteins may be heterologous (e.g., foreign) and/or native to the host cell. One or more (e.g., several) components of the enzyme composition may be produced as monocomponents, which are then combined to form the enzyme composition. The enzyme composition may be a combination of multicomponent and monocomponent protein preparations.

The enzymes used in the processes of the present invention may be in any form suitable for use, such as, for example, a fermentation broth formulation or a cell composition, a cell lysate with or without cellular debris, a semi-purified or purified enzyme preparation, or a host cell as a source of the enzymes. The enzyme composition may be a dry powder or granulate, a non-dusting granulate, a liquid, a stabilized liquid, or a stabilized protected enzyme. Liquid enzyme preparations may, for instance, be stabilized by adding stabilizers such as a sugar, a sugar alcohol or another polyol, and/or lactic acid or another organic acid according to established processes.

The optimum amounts of the enzymes and GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity depend on several factors including, but not limited to, the mixture of cellulolytic enzymes and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes, the cellulosic material, the concentration of cellulosic material, the pretreatment(s) of the cellulosic material, temperature, time, pH, and inclusion of fermenting organism (e.g., for Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation).

In one aspect, an effective amount of cellulolytic or hemicellulolytic enzyme to the cellulosic material is about 0.5 to about 50 mg, e.g., about 0.5 to about 40 mg, about 0.5 to about 25 mg, about 0.75 to about 20 mg, about 0.75 to about 15 mg, about 0.5 to about 10 mg, or about 2.5 to about 10 mg per g of the cellulosic material.

In another aspect, an effective amount of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity to the cellulosic material is about 0.01 to about 50.0 mg, e.g., about 0.01 to about 40 mg, about 0.01 to about 30 mg, about 0.01 to about 20 mg, about 0.01 to about 10 mg, about 0.01 to about 5 mg, about 0.025 to about 1.5 mg, about 0.05 to about 1.25 mg, about 0.075 to about 1.25 mg, about 0.1 to about 1.25 mg, about 0.15 to about 1.25 mg, or about 0.25 to about 1.0 mg per g of the cellulosic material.

In another aspect, an effective amount of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity to cellulolytic or hemicellulolytic enzyme is about 0.005 to about 1.0 g, e.g., about 0.01 to about 1.0 g, about 0.15 to about 0.75 g, about 0.15 to about 0.5 g, about 0.1 to about 0.5 g, about 0.1 to about 0.25 g, or about 0.05 to about 0.2 g per g of cellulolytic or hemicellulolytic enzyme.

In the processes of the present invention, a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity of the present invention is used in the presence of a soluble activating divalent metal cation according to WO 2008/151043, e.g., manganese or copper.

In another aspect, the GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity is used in the presence of a dioxy compound, a bicylic compound, a heterocyclic compound, a nitrogen-containing compound, a quinone compound, a sulfur-containing compound, or a liquor obtained from a pretreated cellulosic material such as pretreated corn stover (WO 2012/021394, WO 2012/021395, WO 2012/021396, WO 2012/021399, WO 2012/021400, WO 2012/021401, WO 2012/021408, and WO 2012/021410).

In one aspect, such a compound is added at a molar ratio of the compound to glucosyl units of cellulose of about 10⁻⁶to about 10, e.g., about 10⁻⁶to about 7.5, about 10⁻⁶to about 5, about 10⁻⁶to about 2.5, about 10⁻⁶to about 1, about 10⁻⁵to about 1, about 10⁻⁵to about 10⁻¹, about 10⁻⁴to about 10⁻¹, about 10⁻³to about 10⁻¹, or about 10⁻³to about 10⁻². In another aspect, an effective amount of such a compound is about 0.1 μM to about 1 M, e.g., about 0.5 μM to about 0.75 M, about 0.75 μM to about 0.5 M, about 1 μM to about 0.25 M, about 1 μM to about 0.1 M, about 5 μM to about 50 mM, about 10 μM to about 25 mM, about 50 μM to about 25 mM, about 10 μM to about 10 mM, about 5 μM to about 5 mM, or about 0.1 mM to about 1 mM.

The term “liquor” means the solution phase, either aqueous, organic, or a combination thereof, arising from treatment of a lignocellulose and/or hemicellulose material in a slurry, or monosaccharides thereof, e.g., xylose, arabinose, mannose, etc., under conditions as described in WO 2012/021401, and the soluble contents thereof. A liquor for cellulolytic enhancement of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity can be produced by treating a lignocellulose or hemicellulose material (or feedstock) by applying heat and/or pressure, optionally in the presence of a catalyst, e.g., acid, optionally in the presence of an organic solvent, and optionally in combination with physical disruption of the material, and then separating the solution from the residual solids. Such conditions determine the degree of cellulolytic enhancement obtainable through the combination of liquor and a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity during hydrolysis of a cellulosic substrate by a cellulolytic enzyme preparation. The liquor can be separated from the treated material using a method standard in the art, such as filtration, sedimentation, or centrifugation.

In one aspect, an effective amount of the liquor to cellulose is about 10⁻⁶to about 10 g per g of cellulose, e.g., about 10⁻⁶to about 7.5 g, about 10⁻⁶to about 5 g, about 10⁻⁶to about 2.5 g, about 10⁻⁶to about 1 g, about 10⁻⁵to about 1 g, about 10⁻⁵to about 10⁻¹g, about 10⁻⁴to about 10⁻¹g, about 10⁻³to about 10⁻¹g, or about 10⁻³to about 10⁻²g per g of cellulose.

The polypeptides having cellulolytic enzyme activity or hemicellulolytic enzyme activity as well as other proteins/polypeptides useful in the degradation of the cellulosic material (collectively hereinafter “polypeptides having enzyme activity”) can be derived or obtained from any suitable origin, including, archaeal, bacterial, fungal, yeast, plant, or animal origin. The term “obtained” also means herein that the enzyme may have been produced recombinantly in a host organism employing methods described herein, wherein the recombinantly produced enzyme is either native or foreign to the host organism or has a modified amino acid sequence, e.g., having one or more (e.g., several) amino acids that are deleted, inserted and/or substituted, i.e., a recombinantly produced enzyme that is a mutant and/or a fragment of a native amino acid sequence or an enzyme produced by nucleic acid shuffling processes known in the art. Encompassed within the meaning of a native enzyme are natural variants and within the meaning of a foreign enzyme are variants obtained by, e.g., site-directed mutagenesis or shuffling.

A polypeptide having enzyme activity may be a bacterial polypeptide. For example, the polypeptide may be a Gram positive bacterial polypeptide such as a Bacillus, Streptococcus, Streptomyces, Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Clostridium, Geobacillus, Caldicellulosiruptor, Acidothermus, Thermobifidia, or Oceanobacillus polypeptide having enzyme activity, or a Gram negative bacterial polypeptide such as an E. coli, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Helicobacter, Flavobacterium, Fusobacterium, Ilyobacter, Neisseria, or Ureaplasma polypeptide having enzyme activity.

In one aspect, the polypeptide is a Bacillus alkalophilus, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus brevis, Bacillus circulans, Bacillus clausii, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus firmus, Bacillus lautus, Bacillus lentus, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus stearothermophilus, Bacillus subtilis, or Bacillus thuringiensis polypeptide having enzyme activity.

In another aspect, the polypeptide is a Streptococcus equisimilis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus uberis, or Streptococcus equi subsp. Zooepidemicus polypeptide having enzyme activity.

In another aspect, the polypeptide is a Streptomyces achromogenes, Streptomyces avermitilis, Streptomyces coelicolor, Streptomyces griseus, or Streptomyces lividans polypeptide having enzyme activity.

The polypeptide having enzyme activity may also be a fungal polypeptide, and more preferably a yeast polypeptide such as a Candida, Kluyveromyces, Pichia, Saccharomyces, Schizosaccharomyces, or Yarrowia polypeptide having enzyme activity; or more preferably a filamentous fungal polypeptide such as an Acremonium, Agaricus, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Aureobasidium, Botryosphaeria, Ceriporiopsis, Chaetomidium, Chrysosporium, Claviceps, Cochliobolus, Coprinopsis, Coptotermes, Corynascus, Cryphonectria, Cryptococcus, Diplodia, Exidia, Filibasidium, Fusarium, Gibberella, Holomastigotoides, Humicola, Irpex, Lentinula, Leptospaeria, Magnaporthe, Melanocarpus, Meripilus, Mucor, Myceliophthora, Neocallimastix, Neurospora, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Phanerochaete, Piromyces, Poitrasia, Pseudoplectania, Pseudotrichonympha, Rhizomucor, Schizophyllum, Scytalidium, Talaromyces, Thermoascus, Thielavia, Tolypocladium, Trichoderma, Trichophaea, Verticillium, Volvariella, or Xylaria polypeptide having enzyme activity.

In one aspect, the polypeptide is a Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces diastaticus, Saccharomyces douglasii, Saccharomyces kluyveri, Saccharomyces norbensis, or Saccharomyces oviformis polypeptide having enzyme activity.

In another aspect, the polypeptide is an Acremonium cellulolyticus, Aspergillus aculeatus, Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus foetidus, Aspergillus japonicus, Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Chrysosporium lucknowense, Chrysosporium tropicum, Chrysosporium merdarium, Chrysosporium inops, Chrysosporium pannicola, Chrysosporium queenslandicum, Chrysosporium zonatum, Fusarium bactridioides, Fusarium cerealis, Fusarium crookwellense, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium graminum, Fusarium heterosporum, Fusarium negundi, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium reticulatum, Fusarium roseum, Fusarium sambucinum, Fusarium sarcochroum, Fusarium sporotrichioides, Fusarium sulphureum, Fusarium torulosum, Fusarium trichothecioides, Fusarium venenatum, Humicola grisea, Humicola insolens, Humicola lanuginosa, Irpex lacteus, Mucor miehei, Myceliophthora thermophila, Neurospora crassa, Penicillium funiculosum, Penicillium purpurogenum, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Thielavia achromatica, Thielavia albomyces, Thielavia albopilosa, Thielavia australeinsis, Thielavia fimeti, Thielavia microspora, Thielavia ovispora, Thielavia peruviana, Thielavia spededonium, Thielavia setosa, Thielavia subthermophila, Thielavia terrestris, Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma koningii, Trichoderma longibrachiatum, Trichoderma reesei, Trichoderma viride, or Trichophaea saccata polypeptide having enzyme activity.

Chemically modified or protein engineered mutants of polypeptides having enzyme activity may also be used.

One or more (e.g., several) components of the enzyme composition may be a recombinant component, i.e., produced by cloning of a DNA sequence encoding the single component and subsequent cell transformed with the DNA sequence and expressed in a host (see, for example, WO 91/17243 and WO 91/17244). The host can be a heterologous host (enzyme is foreign to host), but the host may under certain conditions also be a homologous host (enzyme is native to host). Monocomponent cellulolytic proteins may also be prepared by purifying such a protein from a fermentation broth.

In one aspect, the one or more (e.g., several) cellulolytic enzymes comprise a commercial cellulolytic enzyme preparation. Examples of commercial cellulolytic enzyme preparations suitable for use in the present invention include, for example, CELLIC® CTec (Novozymes NS), CELLIC® CTec2 (Novozymes NS), CELLIC® CTec3 (Novozymes NS), CELLUCLAST™ (Novozymes NS), NOVOZYM™ 188 (Novozymes NS), SPEZYME™ CP (Genencor Int.), ACCELERASE™ TRIO (DuPont), FILTRASE® NL (DSM); METHAPLUS® S/L 100 (DSM), ROHAMENT™ 7069 W (Röhm GmbH), or ALTERNAFUEL® CMAX3™ (Dyadic International, Inc.). The cellulolytic enzyme preparation is added in an amount effective from about 0.001 to about 5.0 wt. % of solids, e.g., about 0.025 to about 4.0 wt. % of solids or about 0.005 to about 2.0 wt. % of solids.

Examples of bacterial endoglucanases that can be used in the processes of the present invention, include, but are not limited to, Acidothermus cellulolyticus endoglucanase (WO 91/05039; WO 93/15186; U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,944; WO 96/02551; U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,655; WO 00/70031; WO 05/093050), Erwinia carotovara endoglucanase (Saarilahti et al., 1990, Gene 90: 9-14), Thermobifida fusca endoglucanase III (WO 05/093050), and Thermobifida fusca endoglucanase V (WO 05/093050).

Examples of fungal endoglucanases that can be used in the present invention, include, but are not limited to, Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase I (Penttila et al., 1986, Gene 45: 253-263, Trichoderma reesei Cel7B endoglucanase I (GenBank:M15665), Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase II (Saloheimo et al., 1988, Gene 63:11-22), Trichoderma reesei Cel5A endoglucanase II (GenBank:M19373), Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase III (Okada et al., 1988, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64: 555-563, GenBank:AB003694), Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase V (Saloheimo et al., 1994, Molecular Microbiology 13: 219-228, GenBank:Z33381), Aspergillus aculeatus endoglucanase (Ooi et al., 1990, Nucleic Acids Research 18: 5884), Aspergillus kawachii endoglucanase (Sakamoto et al., 1995, Current Genetics 27: 435-439), Fusarium oxysporum endoglucanase (GenBank:L29381), Humicola grisea var. thermoidea endoglucanase (GenBank:AB003107), Melanocarpus albomyces endoglucanase (GenBank:MAL515703), Neurospora crassa endoglucanase (GenBank:XM_—324477), Humicola insolens endoglucanase V, Myceliophthora thermophila CBS 117.65 endoglucanase, Thermoascus aurantiacus endoglucanase I (GenBank:AF487830) and Trichoderma reesei strain No. VTT-D-80133 endoglucanase (GenBank:M15665).

Examples of cellobiohydrolases useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to, Aspergillus aculeatus cellobiohydrolase II (WO 2011/059740), Chaetomium thermophilum cellobiohydrolase I, Chaetomium thermophilum cellobiohydrolase II, Humicola insolens cellobiohydrolase I, Myceliophthora thermophila cellobiohydrolase II (WO 2009/042871), Penicillium occitanis cellobiohydrolase I (GenBank:AY690482), Talaromyces emersonii cellobiohydrolase I (GenBank:AF439936), Thielavia hyrcanie cellobiohydrolase II (WO 2010/141325), Thielavia terrestris cellobiohydrolase II (CEL6A, WO 2006/074435), Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I, Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase II, and Trichophaea saccata cellobiohydrolase II (WO 2010/057086).

Examples of beta-glucosidases useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to, beta-glucosidases from Aspergillus aculeatus (Kawaguchi et al., 1996, Gene 173: 287-288), Aspergillus fumigatus (WO 2005/047499), Aspergillus niger (Dan et al., 2000, J. Biol. Chem. 275: 4973-4980), Aspergillus oryzae (WO 02/095014), Penicillium brasilianum IBT 20888 (WO 2007/019442 and WO 2010/088387), Thielavia terrestris (WO 2011/035029), and Trichophaea saccata (WO 2007/019442).

The beta-glucosidase may be a fusion protein. In one aspect, the beta-glucosidase is an Aspergillus oryzae beta-glucosidase variant BG fusion protein (WO 2008/057637) or an Aspergillus oryzae beta-glucosidase fusion protein (WO 2008/057637).

Other useful endoglucanases, cellobiohydrolases, and beta-glucosidases are disclosed in numerous Glycosyl Hydrolase families using the classification according to Henrissat B., 1991, A classification of glycosyl hydrolases based on amino-acid sequence similarities, Biochem. J. 280: 309-316, and Henrissat B., and Bairoch A., 1996, Updating the sequence-based classification of glycosyl hydrolases, Biochem. J. 316: 695-696.

Other cellulolytic enzymes that may be used in the present invention are described in WO 98/13465, WO 98/015619, WO 98/015633, WO 99/06574, WO 99/10481, WO 99/025847, WO 99/031255, WO 2002/101078, WO 2003/027306, WO 2003/052054, WO 2003/052055, WO 2003/052056, WO 2003/052057, WO 2003/052118, WO 2004/016760, WO 2004/043980, WO 2004/048592, WO 2005/001065, WO 2005/028636, WO 2005/093050, WO 2005/093073, WO 2006/074005, WO 2006/117432, WO 2007/071818, WO 2007/071820, WO 2008/008070, WO 2008/008793, U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,046, U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,263, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,686,593.

In one aspect, the one or more (e.g., several) hemicellulolytic enzymes comprise a commercial hemicellulolytic enzyme preparation. Examples of commercial hemicellulolytic enzyme preparations suitable for use in the present invention include, for example, SHEARZYME™ (Novozymes NS), CELLIC® HTec (Novozymes NS), CELLIC® HTec2 (Novozymes NS), CELLIC® HTec3 (Novozymes NS), VISCOZYME® (Novozymes NS), ULTRAFLO® (Novozymes NS), PULPZYME® HC (Novozymes NS), MULTIFECT® Xylanase (Genencor), ACCELLERASE® XY (Genencor), ACCELLERASE® XC (Genencor), ECOPULP® TX-200A (AB Enzymes), HSP 6000 Xylanase (DSM), DEPOL™ 333P (Biocatalysts Limit, Wales, UK), DEPOL™ 740L. (Biocatalysts Limit, Wales, UK), and DEPOL™ 762P (Biocatalysts Limit, Wales, UK).

Examples of xylanases useful in the processes of the present invention include, but are not limited to, xylanases from Aspergillus aculeatus (GeneSeqP:AAR63790; WO 94/21785), Aspergillus fumigatus (WO 2006/078256), Penicillium pinophilum (WO 2011/041405), Penicillium sp. (WO 2010/126772), Talaromyces lanuginosus GH11 (WO 2012/130965), Talaromyces thermophilus GH11 (WO 2012/13095), Thielavia terrestris NRRL 8126 (WO 2009/079210), and Trichophaea saccata GH10 (WO 2011/057083).

Examples of beta-xylosidases useful in the processes of the present invention include, but are not limited to, beta-xylosidases from Neurospora crassa(SwissProt:Q7SOW4), Trichoderma reesei (UniProtKB/TrEMBL:Q92458), Talaromyces emersonii (SwissProt:Q8X212), and Talaromyces thermophilus GH11 (WO 2012/13095).

Examples of acetylxylan esterases useful in the processes of the present invention include, but are not limited to, acetylxylan esterases from Aspergillus aculeatus (WO 2010/108918), Chaetomium globosum (UniProt:Q2GWX4), Chaetomium gracile (GeneSeqP:AAB82124), Humicola insolens DSM 1800 (WO 2009/073709), Hypocrea jecorina (WO 2005/001036), Myceliophtera thermophila (WO 2010/014880), Neurospora crassa (UniProt:q7s259), Phaeosphaeria nodorum (UniProt:QOUHJ1), and Thielavia terrestris NRRL 8126 (WO 2009/042846).

Examples of feruloyl esterases (ferulic acid esterases) useful in the processes of the present invention include, but are not limited to, feruloyl esterases form Humicola insolens DSM 1800 (WO 2009/076122), Neosartorya fischeri (UniProt:A1 D9T4), Neurospora crassa (UniProt:Q9HGR3), Penicillium aurantiogriseum (WO 2009/127729), and Thielavia terrestris (WO 2010/053838 and WO 2010/065448).

Examples of arabinofuranosidases useful in the processes of the present invention include, but are not limited to, arabinofuranosidases from Aspergillus niger (GeneSeqP:AAR94170), Humicola insolens DSM 1800 (WO 2006/114094 and WO 2009/073383), and M. giganteus (WO 2006/114094).

Examples of alpha-glucuronidases useful in the processes of the present invention include, but are not limited to, alpha-glucuronidases from Aspergillus clavatus (UniProt:alcc12), Aspergillus fumigatus (SwissProt:Q4WW45), Aspergillus niger (UniProt:Q96WX9), Aspergillus terreus (SwissProt:Q0CJP9), Humicola insolens (WO 2010/014706), Penicillium aurantiogriseum (WO 2009/068565), Talaromyces emersonii (UniProt:Q8X211), and Trichoderma reesei (UniProt:Q99024).

In a preferred embodiment, the enzyme composition is a high temperature composition, i.e., a composition that is able to hydrolyze a cellulosic material in the range of about 55° C. to about 70° C. In another preferred embodiment, the enzyme composition is a high temperature composition, i.e., a composition that is able to hydrolyze a cellulosic material at a temperature of about 55° C., about 56° C., about 57° C., about 58° C., about 59° C., about 60° C., about 61° C., about 62° C., about 63° C., about 64° C., about 65° C., about 66° C., about 67° C., about 68° C., about 69° C., or about 70° C. In another preferred embodiment, the enzyme composition is a high temperature composition, i.e., a composition that is able to hydrolyze a cellulosic material at a temperature of at least 55° C., at least 56° C., at least 57° C., at least 58° C., at least 59° C., at least 60° C., at least 61° C., at least 62° C., at least 63° C., at least 64° C., at least 65° C., at least 66° C., at least 67° C., at least 68° C., at least 69° C., or at least 70° C.

In another preferred embodiment, the enzyme composition is a high temperature composition as disclosed in WO 2011/057140, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

The polypeptides having enzyme activity used in the processes of the present invention may be produced by fermentation of the above-noted microbial strains on a nutrient medium containing suitable carbon and nitrogen sources and inorganic salts, using procedures known in the art (see, e.g., Bennett, J. W. and LaSure, L. (eds.), More Gene Manipulations in Fungi, Academic Press, CA, 1991). Suitable media are available from commercial suppliers or may be prepared according to published compositions (e.g., in catalogues of the American Type Culture Collection). Temperature ranges and other conditions suitable for growth and enzyme production are known in the art (see, e.g., Bailey, J. E., and Ollis, D. F., Biochemical Engineering Fundamentals, McGraw-Hill Book Company, NY, 1986).

The fermentation can be any method of cultivation of a cell resulting in the expression or isolation of an enzyme or protein. Fermentation may, therefore, be understood as comprising shake flask cultivation, or small- or large-scale fermentation (including continuous, batch, fed-batch, or solid state fermentations) in laboratory or industrial fermentors performed in a suitable medium and under conditions allowing the enzyme to be expressed or isolated. The resulting enzymes produced by the methods described above may be recovered from the fermentation medium and purified by conventional procedures.

Fermentation.

The fermentable sugars obtained from the hydrolyzed cellulosic material can be fermented by one or more (e.g., several) fermenting microorganisms capable of fermenting the sugars directly or indirectly into a desired fermentation product. “Fermentation” or “fermentation process” refers to any fermentation process or any process comprising a fermentation step. Fermentation processes also include fermentation processes used in the consumable alcohol industry (e.g., beer and wine), dairy industry (e.g., fermented dairy products), leather industry, and tobacco industry. The fermentation conditions depend on the desired fermentation product and fermenting organism and can easily be determined by one skilled in the art.

In the fermentation step, sugars, released from the cellulosic material as a result of the pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis steps, are fermented to a product, e.g., ethanol, by a fermenting organism, such as yeast. Hydrolysis (saccharification) and fermentation can be separate or simultaneous, as described herein.

Any suitable hydrolyzed cellulosic material can be used in the fermentation step in practicing the present invention. The material is generally selected based on economics, i.e., costs per equivalent sugar potential, and recalcitrance to enzymatic conversion.

The term “fermentation medium” is understood herein to refer to a medium before the fermenting microorganism(s) is(are) added, such as, a medium resulting from a saccharification process, as well as a medium used in a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process (SSF).

“Fermenting microorganism” refers to any microorganism, including bacterial and fungal organisms, suitable for use in a desired fermentation process to produce a fermentation product. The fermenting organism can be hexose and/or pentose fermenting organisms, or a combination thereof. Both hexose and pentose fermenting organisms are well known in the art. Suitable fermenting microorganisms are able to ferment, i.e., convert, sugars, such as glucose, xylose, xylulose, arabinose, maltose, mannose, galactose, and/or oligosaccharides, directly or indirectly into the desired fermentation product.

Examples of bacterial and fungal fermenting organisms producing ethanol are described by Lin et al., 2006, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 69: 627-642.

Examples of fermenting microorganisms that can ferment hexose sugars include bacterial and fungal organisms, such as yeast. Yeast include strains of Candida, Kluyveromyces, and Saccharomyces, e.g., Candida sonorensis, Kluyveromyces marxianus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Examples of fermenting organisms that can ferment pentose sugars in their native state include bacterial and fungal organisms, such as some yeast. Xylose fermenting yeast include strains of Candida, preferably C. sheatae or C. sonorensis; and strains of Pichia, e.g., P. stipitis, such as P. stipitis CBS 5773. Pentose fermenting yeast include strains of Pachysolen, preferably P. tannophilus. Organisms not capable of fermenting pentose sugars, such as xylose and arabinose, may be genetically modified to do so by methods known in the art.

Examples of bacteria that can efficiently ferment hexose and pentose to ethanol include, for example, Bacillus coagulans, Clostridium acetobutylicum, Clostridium thermocellum, Clostridium phytofermentans, Geobacillus sp., Thermoanaerobacter saccharolyticum, and Zymomonas mobilis (Philippidis, 1996, supra).

Other fermenting organisms include strains of Bacillus, such as Bacillus coagulans; Candida, such as C. sonorensis, C. methanosorbosa, C. diddensiae, C. parapsilosis, C. naedodendra, C. blankii, C. entomophilia, C. brassicae, C. pseudotropicalis, C. boidinii, C. utilis, and C. scehatae; Clostridium, such as C. acetobutylicum, C. thermocellum, and C. phytofermentans; E. coli, especially E. coli strains that have been genetically modified to improve the yield of ethanol; Geobacillus sp.; Hansenula, such as Hansenula anomala; Klebsiella, such as K. oxytoca; Kluyveromyces, such as K. marxianus, K. lactis, K. thermotolerans, and K. fragilis; Schizosaccharomyces, such as S. pombe; Thermoanaerobacter, such as Thermoanaerobacter saccharolyticum; and Zymomonas, such as Zymomonas mobilis.

Commercially available yeast suitable for ethanol production include, e.g., BIOFERM™ AFT and XR (NABC—North American Bioproducts Corporation, GA, USA), ETHANOL RED™ yeast (Fermentis/Lesaffre, USA), FALI™ (Fleischmann's Yeast, USA), FERMIOL™ (DSM Specialties), GERT STRAND™ (Gert Strand AB, Sweden), and SUPERSTART™ and THERMOSACC™ fresh yeast (Ethanol Technology, WI, USA).

In an aspect, the fermenting microorganism has been genetically modified to provide the ability to ferment pentose sugars, such as xylose utilizing, arabinose utilizing, and xylose and arabinose co-utilizing microorganisms.

The cloning of heterologous genes into various fermenting microorganisms has led to the construction of organisms capable of converting hexoses and pentoses to ethanol (co-fermentation) (Chen and Ho, 1993, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 39-40: 135-147; Ho et al., 1998, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64: 1852-1859; Kotter and Ciriacy, 1993, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 38: 776-783; Walfridsson et al., 1995, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61: 4184-4190; Kuyper et al., 2004, FEMS Yeast Research 4: 655-664; Beall et al., 1991, Biotech. Bioeng. 38: 296-303; Ingram et al., 1998, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 58: 204-214; Zhang et al., 1995, Science 267: 240-243; Deanda et al., 1996, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62: 4465-4470; WO 03/062430).

It is well known in the art that the organisms described above can also be used to produce other substances, as described herein.

The fermenting microorganism is typically added to the degraded cellulosic material or hydrolysate and the fermentation is performed for about 8 to about 96 hours, e.g., about 24 to about 60 hours. The temperature is typically between about 26° C. to about 60° C., e.g., about 32° C. or 50° C., and about pH 3 to about pH 8, e.g., pH 4-5, 6, or 7.

In one aspect, the yeast and/or another microorganism are applied to the degraded cellulosic material and the fermentation is performed for about 12 to about 96 hours, such as typically 24-60 hours. In another aspect, the temperature is preferably between about 20° C. to about 60° C., e.g., about 25° C. to about 50° C., about 32° C. to about 50° C., or about 32° C. to about 50° C., and the pH is generally from about pH 3 to about pH 7, e.g., about pH 4 to about pH 7. However, some fermenting organisms, e.g., bacteria, have higher fermentation temperature optima. Yeast or another microorganism is preferably applied in amounts of approximately 10⁵to 10¹², preferably from approximately 10⁷to 10¹⁰, especially approximately 2×10⁸viable cell count per ml of fermentation broth. Further guidance in respect of using yeast for fermentation can be found in, e.g., “The Alcohol Textbook” (Editors K. Jacques, T. P. Lyons and D. R. Kelsall, Nottingham University Press, United Kingdom 1999), which is hereby incorporated by reference.

A fermentation stimulator can be used in combination with any of the processes described herein to further improve the fermentation process, and in particular, the performance of the fermenting microorganism, such as, rate enhancement and ethanol yield. A “fermentation stimulator” refers to stimulators for growth of the fermenting microorganisms, in particular, yeast. Preferred fermentation stimulators for growth include vitamins and minerals. Examples of vitamins include multivitamins, biotin, pantothenate, nicotinic acid, meso-inositol, thiamine, pyridoxine, para-aminobenzoic acid, folic acid, riboflavin, and Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E. See, for example, Alfenore et al., Improving ethanol production and viability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by a vitamin feeding strategy during fed-batch process, Springer-Verlag (2002), which is hereby incorporated by reference. Examples of minerals include minerals and mineral salts that can supply nutrients comprising P, K, Mg, S, Ca, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu.

Fermentation Products:

A fermentation product can be any substance derived from the fermentation. The fermentation product can be, without limitation, an alcohol (e.g., arabinitol, n-butanol, isobutanol, ethanol, glycerol, methanol, ethylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol [propylene glycol], butanediol, glycerin, sorbitol, and xylitol); an alkane (e.g., pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane, undecane, and dodecane), a cycloalkane (e.g., cyclopentane, cyclohexane, cycloheptane, and cyclooctane), an alkene (e.g. pentene, hexene, heptene, and octene); an amino acid (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, lysine, serine, and threonine); a gas (e.g., methane, hydrogen (H₂), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and carbon monoxide (CO)); isoprene; a ketone (e.g., acetone); an organic acid (e.g., acetic acid, acetonic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, citric acid, 2,5-diketo-D-gluconic acid, formic acid, fumaric acid, glucaric acid, gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, glutaric acid, 3-hydroxypropionic acid, itaconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, malonic acid, oxalic acid, oxaloacetic acid, propionic acid, succinic acid, and xylonic acid); and polyketide. The fermentation product can also be protein as a high value product.

In one aspect, the fermentation product is an alcohol. It will be understood that the term “alcohol” encompasses a substance that contains one or more hydroxyl moieties. The alcohol can be, but is not limited to, n-butanol, isobutanol, ethanol, methanol, arabinitol, butanediol, ethylene glycol, glycerin, glycerol, 1,3-propanediol, sorbitol, xylitol. See, for example, Gong et al., 1999, Ethanol production from renewable resources, in Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology, Scheper, T., ed., Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, Germany, 65: 207-241; Silveira and Jonas, 2002, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 59: 400-408; Nigam and Singh, 1995, Process Biochemistry 30(2): 117-124; Ezeji et al., 2003, World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 19(6): 595-603.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is an alkane. The alkane may be an unbranched or a branched alkane. The alkane can be, but is not limited to, pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane, undecane, or dodecane.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is a cycloalkane. The cycloalkane can be, but is not limited to, cyclopentane, cyclohexane, cycloheptane, or cyclooctane.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is an alkene. The alkene may be an unbranched or a branched alkene. The alkene can be, but is not limited to, pentene, hexene, heptene, or octene.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is an amino acid. The organic acid can be, but is not limited to, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, lysine, serine, or threonine. See, for example, Richard and Margaritis, 2004, Biotechnology and Bioengineering 87(4): 501-515.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is a gas. The gas can be, but is not limited to, methane, H₂, CO₂, or CO. See, for example, Kataoka et al., 1997, Water Science and Technology 36(6-7): 41-47; and Gunaseelan, 1997, Biomass and Bioenergy 13(1-2): 83-114.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is isoprene.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is a ketone. It will be understood that the term “ketone” encompasses a substance that contains one or more ketone moieties. The ketone can be, but is not limited to, acetone.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is an organic acid. The organic acid can be, but is not limited to, acetic acid, acetonic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, citric acid, 2,5-diketo-D-gluconic acid, formic acid, fumaric acid, glucaric acid, gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, glutaric acid, 3-hydroxypropionic acid, itaconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, malonic acid, oxalic acid, propionic acid, succinic acid, or xylonic acid. See, for example, Chen and Lee, 1997, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 63-65: 435-448.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is polyketide.

Recovery.

The fermentation product(s) can be optionally recovered from the fermentation medium using any method known in the art including, but not limited to, chromatography, electrophoretic procedures, differential solubility, distillation, or extraction. For example, alcohol is separated from the fermented cellulosic material and purified by conventional methods of distillation. Ethanol with a purity of up to about 96 vol. % can be obtained, which can be used as, for example, fuel ethanol, drinking ethanol, i.e., potable neutral spirits, or industrial ethanol.

The present invention is further described by the following examples which should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

EXAMPLES
Strains

Trichoderma virens Gv29-8 is available from the Fungal Genetics Stock Center (USA) under accession number FGSC 10586. Trichoderma atroviride is available from the American Type Tissue Culture Collection under accession number ATCC 20476. Trichoderma saturnisporum is available at the American Type Tissue Culture Collection under accession number ATCC 28021. Trichoderma virens Gv29-8 and Trichoderma atroviride were the subject of genome sequencing projects at the Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, Calif., USA. Trichoderma saturnisporum sequence was obtained from EBML under accession number EMBL:GU290062. The sequence is derived from Vivek and Shanmugam, INSDC. Floriculture Plant Pathology, IHBT, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176061, India. This sequence was submitted to EMBL Dec. 8, 2009. The open reading frames identified in the projects were used as sources of GH61 polypeptide genes, which were later redesigned as codon optimized synthetic genes for expression in Aspergillus oryzae.

Media and Solutions

YP+2% glucose medium was composed of 1% yeast extract, 2% peptone, and 2% glucose in deionized water.

YP+2% maltose medium was composed of 1% yeast extract, 2% peptone, and 2% maltose in deionized water.

LB plates were composed of 10 g of Bacto-Tryptone, 5 g of yeast extract, 10 g of sodium chloride, 15 g of Bacto-agar, and deionized water to 1 liter. The medium was sterilized by autoclaving at 15 psi for 15 minutes (Bacteriological Analytical Manual, 8th Edition, Revision A, 1998).

PDA plates were composed of 39 grams of potato dextrose agar and deionized water to 1 liter.

COVE sorbitol plates were composed of 218 g of sorbitol, 50 ml of COVE salt solution, 2.02 g of potassium nitrate, 10 ml of glycerol, 35 g of agar, and deionized water to 1 liter.

COVE salt solution was composed of 26 g of MgSO₄.7H₂O, 26 g of KCl, 26 g of KH₂PO₄, 50 ml of COVE trace metals solution, and deionized water to 1 liter.

COVE trace metals solution was composed of 0.04 g of Na₂B₄O₇.10H₂O, 0.4 g of CuSO₄.5H₂O, 1.2 g of FeSO₄.7H₂O, 0.7 g of MnSO₄.H₂O, 0.8 g of Na₂MoO₄.2H₂O, 10 g of ZnSO₄.7H₂O, and deionized water to 1 liter.

Example 1
Synthetic Gene Cloning

Synthetic genes of the gene sequences described below, codon optimized for expression in Aspergillus oryzae, were prepared by GENEART® (Life Technologies Corp., Durham, N.C., USA) and provided in the kanamycin-resistant E. coli plasmid pMK-T (Life Technologies Corp., Durham, N.C., USA).

The wild-type genomic DNA sequence and deduced amino acid sequence of a Trichoderma virens (Hypocrea virens) GH61 polypeptide are shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 (D82GXV) and SEQ ID NO: 2 (P24D78, SWISSPROT:G9N0U1), respectively. The coding sequence is 1108 bp including the stop codon, which is interrupted by 1 intron of 64 bp (nucleotides 188 to 251). The encoded predicted protein is 347 amino acids. Using the SignalP program (Nielsen et al., 1997, supra), a signal peptide of 21 residues was predicted. The SignalP prediction is in accord with the necessity for having a histidine reside at the N-terminus in order for proper metal binding and hence protein function to occur (See Harris et al., 2010, Biochemistry 49: 3305, and Quinlan et al., 2011, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 108: 15079). The predicted mature protein contains 326 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 34 kDa and a predicted isoelectric point of 5.8.

The synthetic gene of the Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide gene is designated herein as Trichoderma virens KKSC0105 (SEQ ID NO: 7; D82GZN). The coding sequence is 1041 bp excluding the stop codon. The amino acid sequence of the GH61 polypeptide encoded by the synthetic gene is the same as the wild-type gene.

A comparative pairwise global alignment of amino acid sequences was determined using the Needleman and Wunsch algorithm (Needleman and Wunsch, 1970, supra) with a gap open penalty of 10, a gap extension penalty of 0.5, and the EBLOSUM62 matrix. The alignment showed that the deduced amino acid sequence of the Trichoderma virens genomic DNA encoding a GH61 polypeptide shares 76.7% identity (excluding gaps) to the deduced amino acid sequence of a GH61 polypeptide from Hypocrea jecorina (GENESEQP AYH79694).

The wild-type genomic DNA sequence and deduced amino acid sequence of a Trichoderma atroviride (Hypocrea atroviridis) GH61 polypeptide are shown in SEQ ID NO: 3 (D82GX9) and SEQ ID NO: 4 (P24D76, SWISSPROT:G9NS04), respectively. The coding sequence is 1114 bp including the stop codon, which is interrupted by 1 intron of 64 bp (nucleotides 188 to 251). The encoded predicted protein is 349 amino acids. Using the SignalP program (Nielsen et al., 1997, supra), a signal peptide of 21 residues was predicted. The SignalP prediction is in accord with the necessity for having a histidine reside at the N-terminus in order for proper metal binding and hence protein function to occur (See Harris et al., 2010, supra, and Quinlan et al., 2011, supra). The predicted mature protein contains 328 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 34 kDa and a predicted isoelectric point of 4.9.

The synthetic gene of the Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide gene is designated herein as Trichoderma atroviride KKSC0106 (SEQ ID NO: 8; D82GZH). The coding sequence is 1047 bp excluding the stop codon. The amino acid sequence of the GH61 polypeptide encoded by the synthetic gene is the same as the wild-type gene.

A comparative pairwise global alignment of amino acid sequences was determined using the Needleman and Wunsch algorithm (Needleman and Wunsch, 1970, supra) with a gap open penalty of 10, a gap extension penalty of 0.5, and the EBLOSUM62 matrix. The alignment showed that the deduced amino acid sequence of the Trichoderma atroviride genomic DNA encoding a GH61 polypeptide shares 79.8% identity (excluding gaps) to the deduced amino acid sequence of a GH61 polypeptide from Hypocrea jecorina (GENESEQP AYH79694).

The wild-type genomic DNA sequence and deduced amino acid sequence of a Trichoderma saturnisporum (Hypocrea saturnisporum) GH61 polypeptide are shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 (D82FFS; EMBL:GU290062) and SEQ ID NO: 6 (P24ATH, SWISSPROT:D3JTC4), respectively. The coding sequence is 1041 bp including the stop codon. The coding sequence does not contain introns. The encoded predicted protein is 346 amino acids. Using the SignalP program (Nielsen et al., 1997, supra), a signal peptide of 21 residues was predicted. The SignalP prediction is in accord with the necessity for having a histidine reside at the N-terminus in order for proper metal binding and hence protein function to occur (See Harris et al., 2010, supra, and Quinlan et al., 2011, supra). The predicted mature protein contains 325 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 34 kDa and a predicted isoelectric point of 6.5.

The synthetic gene of Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide is designated herein as Trichoderma saturnisporum KKSC0107 (SEQ ID NO: 9; D82H1E). The coding sequence is 1038 bp excluding the stop codon. The amino acid sequence of the GH61 polypeptide encoded by the synthetic gene is the same as the wild-type gene.

A comparative pairwise global alignment of amino acid sequences was determined using the Needleman and Wunsch algorithm (Needleman and Wunsch, 1970, supra) with a gap open penalty of 10, a gap extension penalty of 0.5, and the EBLOSUM62 matrix. The alignment showed that the deduced amino acid sequence of the Trichoderma saturnisporum genomic DNA encoding a GH61 polypeptide shares 92.5% identity (excluding gaps) to the deduced amino acid sequence of a GH61 polypeptide from Hypocrea jecorina (GENESEQP AYH79694).

In each of the synthetic genes described above, the following additional sequences were added at the 5′ and 3′ of the coding sequences:

5′ sequence added:

(SEQ ID NO: 10)

5′-acacaactggggatccacc-3′

3′ sequence added:

(SEQ ID NO: 11)

5′-taagcttctcgagatct-3′

The underlined sequences indicate restriction cloning sites; Bam HI (5′ sequence) and Hind III (3′ sequence). The sequences were added to facilitate restriction enzyme digestion of the fragments.

Example 2
Cloning and Expression of a Trichoderma virens GH61 Polypeptide (KKSC0105)

The DNA sequence KKSC0105 was cloned into the Aspergillus shuttle vector pDau109 (WO 2005/042735) by simple ligation according to the procedure described below.

The plasmid pMK-T, containing the T. virens GH61 polypeptide synthetic gene (5 μg of dried pDNA), was diluted in 100 μl of 10 mM Tris-0.1 mM EDTA pH 8.0 (TE) resulting in a DNA concentration of about 50 ng/μl. To liberate the Bam HI-Hind III flanked insert, the plasmid was first digested with Bam HI in a reaction composed of 2 μl of 10× Buffer 3 (New England Biolabs, Ipswich, Mass., USA), 2 μl of 10×BSA (New England Biolabs, Ipswich, Mass., USA), 1 μl of Bam HI (10 U/μl; New England Biolabs, Ipswich, Mass., USA), 4 μl of pMK-T (5 μg/μl), and 11 μl of deionized water. The restriction digestion was allowed to proceed for 3 hours at 37° C. The Bam HI fragment was purified using an ILLUSTRA™ GFX™ PCR DNA and Gel Band Purification Kit (GE Healthcare, Buckinghamshire, UK) according to the manufacturer's instructions with elution in 40 μl of deionized water.

The purified Bam HI fragment was then submitted to digestion with Hind III in a reaction composed of 4 μl of 10× Buffer 2 (New England Biolabs, Ipswich, Mass., USA), 1 μl of Hind III (10 U/μl; New England Biolabs, Ipswich, Mass., USA), 35 μl of the Bam HI fragment, and 11 μl of deionized water. The restriction digestion was allowed to proceed overnight at 37° C. The 40 μl digestion was subjected to 1% agarose gel electrophoresis using 40 mM Tris base, 20 mM sodium acetate, 1 mM disodium EDTA (TAE) buffer, excised from the gel, and purified using an ILLUSTRA™ GFX™ PCR DNA and Gel Band Purification Kit. The fragment was eluted in 40 μl of 10 mM Tris pH 7.5. Four μl of this sample was run on a new 1% agarose gel using TAE buffer to confirm correct purification of the KKSC105 DNA fragment from the excised agarose fragment.

The DNA fragment encoding the T. virens GH61 polypeptide was ligated into the Aspergillus shuttle vector pDau109. The vector was digested with Bam HI and Hind III, subjected to 1% agarose gel electrophoresis using TAE buffer, excised from the gel, and purified using an ILLUSTRA™ GFX™ PCR DNA and Gel Band Purification Kit. The ligation reaction was composed of 1 μl of Bam HI-Hind III digested pDau109, 4 μl of the KKSC105 DNA fragment, 1 μl of 10×T4 DNA ligase buffer (New England Biolabs, Ipswich, Mass., USA), 3.5 μl of deionized water, and 0.5 μl of T4 DNA ligase (New England Biolabs, Ipswich, Mass., USA). The ligation reaction was incubated at room temperature (26° C.) for one hour and then heat treated at 65° C. for 20 minutes.

The ligation reaction was transformed into TOP 10 chemically competent E. coli cells (Invitrogen Corp., Carlsbad Calif., USA) according to the manufacturer's instructions with the modification that 4 μl of the ligation reaction were added to 50 μl of the competent cells. After the incubation of the DNA with the cells and a 42° C. heat shock for 30 seconds, the preparation was spread onto LB plates supplemented with 100 μg of ampicillin per ml. The plates were incubated at 37° C. overnight. Colonies growing on the plates after the overnight incubation were submitted to colony PCR to determine the presence of the KKSC105 DNA fragment. Colony PCR was performed on 8 colonies from the transformation according to the following protocol: The colonies were transferred to fresh LB plates supplemented with 50 μg of ampicillin per ml with a yellow inoculation pin (Nunc A/S, Denmark), and incubated overnight at 37° C. The same individual colonies were twirled directly into the 200 μl PCR tubes. The PCR was performed using the primers shown below.

Primer 8653:

(SEQ ID NO: 12)

5′-GCAAGGGATGCCATGCTTGG-3′

Primer 8654:

(SEQ ID NO: 13)

5′-CATATAACCAATTGCCCTC-3′

The amplification reaction was composed of 6 μl of 2× High Fidelity REDDYMIX™ PCR Master Mix (ABgene, Cambridge, UK), 0.5 μl of primer 8653 (10 pmole/μl), 0.5 μl of primer 8654 (10 pmole/μl), and 5 μl of deionized water. The PCR was performed using a DNA Engine DYAD® Peltier Thermal Cycler (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, Calif., USA) programmed for 1 cycle at 94° C. for 60 seconds; and 30 cycles each at 94° C. for 30 seconds, 55° C. for 30 seconds, 68° C. for 60 seconds, 68° C. for 10 minutes, and 10° C. for 10 minutes. A 4 μl volume of the completed PCR reaction was submitted to 1% agarose gel electrophoresis using TAE buffer. E. coli pKKSC0105 transformants showing a PCR band of 1144 bp were selected for plasmid DNA miniprep using a Qiaprep Spin Miniprep Kit (QIAGEN Inc., Valencia, Calif., USA). The plasmid was designated pKKSC0105.

The Aspergillus oryzae strain MT3568 was used as host for all experiments. Aspergillus oryzae MT3568 is an amdS (acetamidase) disrupted derivative of A. oryzae JaL355 (WO 2002/40694) in which pyrG auxotrophy was restored in the process of knocking out the A. oryzae amdS gene. A. oryzae MT3568 protoplasts were prepared according to the method of European Patent, EP0238023, pages 14-15. Fresh protoplasts of A. oryzae MT3568 were prepared and transformed with plasmid pKKSC0105. Plasmid DNA from the above mini prep procedure was used to transform A. oryzae MT3568.

Six μl of a 3.2× diluted mini prep of pKKSC105 (about 3.0 μg total DNA) were used for the transformation. The DNA was gently added to 100 μl of A. oryzae MT3568 protoplasts and 250 μl of 60% polyethylene glycol 4000 were then added. The tube were gently mixed and incubated at 37° C. for 30 minutes. The mix was added to 6 ml of top agar with 10 mM acetamide and plated onto COVE sorbitol plates with 10 mM acetamide.

The plates were incubated at 37° C. for 3 or more days and then moved to 26° C. for two days. Spores from 8 individual colonies were picked by first dipping a white 10 μl inoculation pin (Nunc NS, Denmark) in a 0.1% TWEEN® 80 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate) solution, contacting the sporulating colony on the selection plate, and restreaking with the pin onto fresh COVE sorbitol plates containing 10 mM acetamide. After 5 days at 26° C., the restreaked colonies were used to inoculate a 96 well deep dish plate. Expression was verified by SDS-PAGE analysis using a NUPAGE® 10% Bis-Tris gel (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif., USA) and Coomassie blue staining. One transformant was selected for further work and designated A. oryzae EXP04009.

Spores from a confluent PDA plate of Aspergillus oryzae EXP04009 were collected with a solution of 0.01% TWEEN® 20 and used to inoculate three one-liter Fernbach flasks each containing 150 ml of YP+2% glucose medium. The flasks were incubated at 28° C. with constant shaking at 220 rpm for 5 days. The broth was filtered by using a 0.22 μm EXPRESS™ Plus Membrane (Millipore, Bedford, Mass., USA).

Example 3
Cloning and Expression of Trichoderma atroviride GH61 Polypeptide (KKSC0106)

The cloning and expression of the Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide synthetic gene was performed as described in Example 2. The synthetic gene sequence and deduced amino acid sequence are shown in SEQ ID NO: 8 and SEQ ID NO: 4, respectively.

Eight Aspergillus oryzae transformants were chosen for further characterization and one transformant was selected with satisfactory expression as judged by SDS-PAGE analysis using a NUPAGE® 10% Bis-Tris gel and Coomassie blue staining. The expression clone was designated A. oryzae EXP04010.

Spores from a confluent PDA plate of Aspergillus oryzae EXP04010 were collected with a solution of 0.01% TWEEN® 20 and used to inoculate three one-liter Fernbach flasks each containing 150 ml of YP+2% maltose medium. The flasks were incubated at 28° C. with constant shaking at 220 rpm for 5 days. The broth was filtered by using a 0.22 μm EXPRESS™ Plus Membrane.

Example 4
Cloning and Expression of Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 Polypeptide (KKSC0107)

The cloning and expression of the Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide synthetic gene was performed as described in Example 2. The synthetic gene sequence and deduced amino acid sequence are shown in SEQ ID NO: 9 and SEQ ID NO: 6, respectively.

Eight Aspergillus oryzae transformants were chosen for further characterization and one was selected with satisfactory expression as judged by SDS-PAGE analysis using a NUPAGE® 10% Bis-Tris gel and Coomassie blue staining. The expression clone was designated A. oryzae EXP04011.

Spores from a confluent PDA plate of Aspergillus oryzae EXP04011 were collected with a solution of 0.01% TWEEN® 20 and used to inoculate three one-liter Fernbach flasks each containing 150 ml of YP+2% glucose medium. The flasks were incubated at 28° C. with constant shaking at 220 rpm for 5 days. The broth was filtered by using a 0.22 μm EXPRESS™ Plus Membrane.

Example 5
Pretreated Corn Stover Hydrolysis Assay

Corn stover was pretreated at the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) using 1.4 wt % sulfuric acid at 165° C. and 107 psi for 8 minutes. The water-insoluble solids in the pretreated corn stover (PCS) contained 56.5% cellulose, 4.6% hemicellulose, and 28.4% lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose were determined by a two-stage sulfuric acid hydrolysis with subsequent analysis of sugars by high performance liquid chromatography using NREL Standard Analytical Procedure #002. Lignin was determined gravimetrically after hydrolyzing the cellulose and hemicellulose fractions with sulfuric acid using NREL Standard Analytical Procedure #003.

Unmilled, unwashed PCS (whole slurry PCS) was prepared by adjusting the pH of the PCS to 5.0 by addition of 10 M NaOH with extensive mixing, and then autoclaving for 20 minutes at 120° C. The dry weight of the whole slurry PCS was 29%. Milled unwashed PCS (dry weight 32.35%) was prepared by milling whole slurry PCS in a Cosmos ICMG 40 wet multi-utility grinder (EssEmm Corporation, Tamil Nadu, India).

The hydrolysis of milled unwashed PCS was conducted using 2.2 ml deep-well plates (Axygen, Union City, Calif., USA) in a total reaction volume of 1.0 ml. The hydrolysis was performed with 50 mg of insoluble PCS solids per ml of 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0 buffer containing 1 mM manganese sulfate and various protein loadings of various enzyme compositions (expressed as mg protein per gram of cellulose). Enzyme compositions were prepared and then added simultaneously to all wells in a volume ranging from 50 μl to 200 μl, for a final volume of 1 ml in each reaction. The plate was then sealed using an ALPS-300™ plate heat sealer (Abgene, Epsom, United Kingdom), mixed thoroughly, and incubated at a specific temperature for 72 hours. All experiments reported were performed in triplicate.

Following hydrolysis, samples were filtered using a 0.45 μm MULTISCREEN® 96-well filter plate (Millipore, Bedford, Mass., USA) and filtrates analyzed for sugar content as described below. When not used immediately, filtered aliquots were frozen at −20° C. The sugar concentrations of samples diluted in 0.005 M H₂SO₄were measured using a 4.6×250 mm AMINEX® HPX-87H column (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, Calif., USA) by elution with 0.05% w/w benzoic acid-0.005 M H₂SO₄at 65° C. at a flow rate of 0.6 ml per minute, and quantitation by integration of the glucose, cellobiose, and xylose signals from refractive index detection (CHEMSTATION®, AGILENT® 1100 HPLC, Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, Calif., USA) calibrated by pure sugar samples. The resultant glucose was used to calculate the percentage of cellulose conversion for each reaction.

Measured sugar concentrations were adjusted for the appropriate dilution factor. The net concentrations of enzymatically-produced sugars from milled unwashed PCS were determined by adjusting the measured sugar concentrations for corresponding background sugar concentrations in milled unwashed PCS at zero time point. All HPLC data processing was performed using MICROSOFT EXCEL™ software (Microsoft, Richland, Wash., USA).

The degree of cellulose conversion to glucose was calculated using the following equation: % conversion=(glucose concentration/glucose concentration in a limit digest)×100. In order to calculate % conversion, a 100% conversion point was set based on a cellulase control (100 mg of Trichoderma reesei cellulase per gram cellulose), and all values were divided by this number and then multiplied by 100. Triplicate data points were averaged and standard deviation was calculated.

Example 6
Preparation of an Enzyme Composition

The Aspergillus fumigatus GH7A cellobiohydrolase I (SEQ ID NO: 14 [DNA sequence] and SEQ ID NO: 15 [deduced amino acid sequence]) was prepared recombinantly in Aspergillus oryzae as described in WO 2011/057140. The filtered broth of the A. fumigatus cellobiohydrolase I was concentrated and buffer exchanged using a tangential flow concentrator (Pall Filtron, Northborough, Mass., USA) equipped with a 10 kDa polyethersulfone membrane (Pall Filtron, Northborough, Mass., USA) with 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.0. The desalted broth of the A. fumigatus cellobiohydrolase I was loaded onto a Q SEPHAROSE® ion exchange column (GE Healthcare, Piscataway, N.J., USA) equilibrated in 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 8 and eluted using a linear 0 to 1 M NaCl gradient. Fractions were collected and fractions containing the cellobiohydrolase I were pooled based on SDS-PAGE analysis using 8-16% CRITERION® Stain-free SDS-PAGE gels (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, Calif., USA).

The Aspergillus fumigatus GH6A cellobiohydrolase II (SEQ ID NO: 16 [DNA sequence] and SEQ ID NO: 17 [deduced amino acid sequence]) was prepared recombinantly in Aspergillus oryzae as described in WO 2011/057140. The filtered broth of the A. fumigatus cellobiohydrolase II was buffer exchanged into 20 mM Tris pH 8.0 using a 400 ml SEPHADEX™ G-25 column (GE Healthcare, United Kingdom). The fractions were pooled and adjusted to 1.2 M ammonium sulphate-20 mM Tris pH 8.0. The equilibrated protein was loaded onto a PHENYL SEPHAROSE™ 6 Fast Flow column (high sub) (GE Healthcare, Piscataway, N.J., USA) equilibrated in 20 mM Tris pH 8.0 with 1.2 M ammonium sulphate, and bound proteins were eluted with 20 mM Tris pH 8.0 with no ammonium sulphate. The fractions were pooled.

The Trichoderma reesei GH5 endoglucanase II (SEQ ID NO: 18 [DNA sequence] and SEQ ID NO: 19 [deduced amino acid sequence]) was prepared recombinantly according to WO 2011/057140 using Aspergillus oryzae as a host. The filtered broth of the T. reesei endoglucanase II was desalted and buffer-exchanged into 20 mM Tris pH 8.0 using tangential flow (10K membrane, Pall Corporation).

The Aspergillus fumigatus GH10 xylanase (xyn3) (SEQ ID NO: 20 [DNA sequence] and SEQ ID NO: 21 [deduced amino acid sequence]) was prepared recombinantly according to WO 2006/078256 using Aspergillus oryzae BECh2 (WO 2000/39322) as a host. The filtered broth of the A. fumigatus xylanase was desalted and buffer-exchanged into 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0 using a HIPREP® 26/10 Desalting Column (GE Healthcare, Piscataway, N.J., USA).

The Aspergillus fumigatus NN055679 Cel3A beta-glucosidase. (SEQ ID NO: 22 [DNA sequence] and SEQ ID NO: 23 [deduced amino acid sequence]) was prepared recombinantly according to WO 2005/047499 using Aspergillus oryzae as a host. The filtered broth was adjusted to pH 8.0 with 20% sodium acetate, which made the solution turbid. To remove the turbidity, the solution was centrifuged at 20,000×g for 20 minutes, and the supernatant was filtered through a 0.2 μm filtration unit (Nalgene, Rochester, N.Y., USA). The filtrate was diluted with deionized water to reach the same conductivity as 50 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.0. The adjusted enzyme solution was applied to a Q SEPHAROSE® Fast Flow column (GE Healthcare, Piscataway, N.J., USA) equilibrated in 50 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.0 and eluted with a linear 0 to 500 mM sodium chloride gradient. Fractions were pooled and treated with 1% (w/v) activated charcoal to remove color from the beta-glucosidase pool. The charcoal was removed by filtration of the suspension through a 0.2 μm filtration unit. The filtrate was adjusted to pH 5.0 with 20% acetic acid and diluted 10 times with deionized water. The adjusted filtrate was applied to a SP SEPHAROSE® Fast Flow column equilibrated in 10 mM succinic acid pH 5.0 and eluted with a linear 0 to 500 mM sodium chloride gradient.

The Aspergillus fumigatus NN051616 GH3 beta-xylosidase (SEQ ID NO: 24 [DNA sequence] and SEQ ID NO: 25 [deduced amino acid sequence]) was prepared recombinantly in Aspergillus oryzae as described in WO 2011/057140. The filtered broth of the A. fumigatus beta-xylosidase was desalted and buffer-exchanged into 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0 using a HIPREP® 26/10 Desalting Column.

The protein concentration for each of the monocomponents described above was determined using a Microplate BCA™ Protein Assay Kit (Thermo Fischer Scientific, Waltham, Mass., USA) in which bovine serum albumin was used as a protein standard. An enzyme composition was prepared composed of each monocomponent as follows: 43.5% Aspergillus fumigatus Cel7A cellobiohydrolase I, 29.4% Aspergillus fumigatus Cel6A cellobiohydrolase II, 11.8% Trichoderma reesei GH5 endoglucanase II, 5.9% Aspergillus fumigatus GH10 xylanase, 5.9% Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase, and 3.5% Aspergillus fumigatus beta-xylosidase. The enzyme composition is designated herein as “cellulolytic enzyme composition”.

Example 7
Preparation of Penicillium sp. (emersonii) GH61A Polypeptide Having Cellulolytic Enhancing Activity

The Penicillium sp. (emersonii) GH61A polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 26 [DNA sequence] and SEQ ID NO: 27 [deduced amino acid sequence]) was recombinantly prepared according to WO 2011/041397. The Penicillium sp. (emersonii) GH61A polypeptide gene was purified according to WO 2011/041397.

Example 8
Preparation of Trichoderma virens GH61 Polypeptide, Trichoderma atroviride GH61 Polypeptide, and Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 Polypeptide

The broths of the Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide, Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide, and Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide were each filtered using a 0.22 μm EXPRESS™ Plus Membrane. The filtered broths were concentrated by centrifugation using a VIVASPIN™ centrifugal concentrator (10 kDa polyethersulfone membrane, Sartorius, Göttingen, Germany). A 3 ml volume of each GH61 polypeptide was desalted and buffer exchanged into 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0 using an ECONO-PAC® 10-DG desalting column (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, Calif., USA). The total protein content of each GH61 polypeptide was determined by gel quantitation following quantitative desalting. Protein concentration was determined by SDS-PAGE using a 8-16% Tris HCl CRITERION STAIN FREE™ gel and a CRITERION STAIN FREE™ Imaging System SDS-PAGE (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, Calif., USA) in which the Penicillium sp. (emersonii) GH61A polypeptide was used as a protein standard.

Example 9
Effect of the Trichoderma virens GH61 Polypeptide, Trichoderma atroviride GH61 Polypeptide, and Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 Polypeptide on the Hydrolysis of Milled Unwashed PCS at 50-65° C. by a Cellulolytic Enzyme Composition

The Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide, Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide, and Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide were evaluated for their ability to enhance the hydrolysis of milled unwashed PCS (Example 5) by the cellulolytic enzyme composition of Example 6 at 2.55 mg total protein per g cellulose at 50° C., 55° C., 60° C., and 65° C. The Penicillium sp. (emersonii) GH61A polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity was also run for comparison. Each GH61 polypeptide was added at 0.45 mg protein per g cellulose. The cellulolytic enzyme composition was also run without added GH61 polypeptide at 3.0 mg protein per g cellulose.

The assay was performed as described in Example 5. The 1 ml reactions with milled unwashed PCS (5% insoluble solids) were conducted for 72 hours in 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0 buffer containing 1 mM manganese sulfate. All reactions were performed in triplicate and involved single mixing at the beginning of hydrolysis.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cellulolytic enzyme composition (“HT composition”) that included Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide, Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide, or Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide significantly outperformed the cellulolytic enzyme composition (2.55 mg protein/g cellulose and 3.0 mg protein/g cellulose) at 50° C., 55° C., 60° C., and 65° C. The degree of cellulose conversion to glucose for these three GH61 polypeptides added to the cellulolytic enzyme composition was higher than the cellulolytic enzyme composition alone at 50° C., 55° C., 60° C., and 65° C. The results in FIG. 1 show that the cellulolytic enzyme composition that included Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide performed similarly to the cellulolytic enzyme composition that included the Penicillium sp. (emersonii) GH61A polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity at 55° C.

Example 10
Preparation of Aspergillus fumigatus Cel3A Beta-Glucosidase Variant

The Aspergillus fumigatus Cel3A beta-glucosidase 4M variant (SEQ ID NO: 28 [DNA sequence] and SEQ ID NO: 29 [deduced amino acid sequence]) was recombinantly prepared according to WO 2012/044915. The filtered broth of the Aspergillus fumigatus Cel3A beta-glucosidase 4M variant was concentrated and buffer exchanged using a tangential flow concentrator (Pall Filtron, Northborough, Mass., USA) equipped with a 10 kDa polyethersulfone membrane (Pall Filtron, Northborough, Mass., USA) with 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0 containing 100 mM sodium chloride. Protein concentration was determined using a Microplate BCA™ Protein Assay Kit in which bovine serum albumin was used as a protein standard. In addition, protein concentration was determined using 4-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (Sigma Chemical Co., Inc., St. Louis, Mo., USA) as substrate and Aspergillus fumigatus Cel3A beta-glucosidase 4M variant as a protein standard purified according to WO 2012/044915 with the protein concentration determined using 179640 cm⁻¹M⁻¹as the extinction coefficient and the absorbance of the protein at 280 nm. The 4-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (pNPG) assay was performed as follows: pNPG was dissolved in DMSO to make a 100 mM stock solution. The 100 mM pNPG stock solution was diluted 100× in 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5 with 0.01% TWEEN® 20 to 1 mM pNPG containing 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5 with 0.01% TWEEN® 20. The protein was diluted to several concentrations in 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5 with 0.01% TWEEN® 20. Then, 20 μl of diluted protein were added to 100 μl of 1 mM pNPG containing 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5 with 0.01% TWEEN® 20. The reactions were incubated at 40° C. for 20 minutes, and reactions were stopped with 50 μl of 1 M sodium carbonate pH 10. The absorbance was measured at 405 nm for 4-nitrophenolate anion production.

Example 11
High Solids Miniature Assay

Corn stover was pretreated at the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) using 4.5% (w/v) sulfuric acid for 5 minutes at 180° C. and 145 psi. The water-insoluble solids in the pretreated corn stover (PCS) contained 62.75% cellulose, 3.97% hemicellulose, and 28.4% lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose were determined by a two-stage sulfuric acid hydrolysis with subsequent analysis of sugars by high performance liquid chromatography using NREL Standard Analytical Procedure #002. Lignin was determined gravimetrically after hydrolyzing the cellulose and hemicellulose fractions with sulfuric acid using NREL Standard Analytical Procedure #003.

The PCS was adjusted to pH 5.0 by repeated addition of 10 N NaOH in aliquots of a few milliliters, followed by thorough mixing and incubation at room temperature for approximately 1 hour. The pH was confirmed after overnight incubation at 4° C., and the pH-adjusted corn stover was autoclaved for 20 minutes at approximately 120° C., and then stored at 4° C. to minimize the risk of microbial contamination. The dry weight of the pretreated corn stover was 20.60% TS (total solids), which was confirmed before each use using an IR120 moisture analyzer (Denver Instruments, Bohemia, N.Y., USA).

The PCS was milled using a 0.5 HP Attritor Model 01 HD with ZrO₂agitator shaft and arms, and 1400 ml water cooled, jacketed grinding tank (Union Process, Akron, Ohio, USA) with a sealed tank lid. Milling was performed undiluted in the following manner: approximately 6 lbs. of 5 mm ytrrium-stabilized zirconium oxide grinding media were used to charge the grinding tank. An Ecoline RE106 circulating water bath (Lauda, Lauda DR. R. Wobser GMBH & Co., Germany) was used to maintain the tank temperature at 15° C. Approximately 150-200 ml of pH-adjusted, autoclaved PCS were added slowly to the tank with the agitator arms rotating at approximately 200 rpm. The tank was then sealed and the agitator arm velocity increased to approximately 600 rpm for 15 minutes. The milled PCS was removed from the grinding tank, separated from the grinding media by screening through ¼inch hardware cloth, and autoclaved.

A 96-well plate was generated by machining an aluminum plate of depth ¼inch with 96, cone-shaped wells, diameter ¼inch at the upper surface and diameter ⅛ inch at the lower surface. The center of each well was at an equivalent position to the center of a corresponding well in a standard 96-well microtiter plate, approximately 23/64 inch on center. The resulting weight of each well was approximately 132.4 μg. This 96-well aluminum plate is hereinafter referred to as the “fill plate”.

The milled PCS was used to fill the holes in the fill plate by applying a suitable volume of the PCS to the upper surface of the plate, and then using a spatula to spread the PCS over the surface and into the holes. Holes were deemed sufficiently full when the PCS was extruded through the hole in the bottom surface, forming noodle-like tubes. A 0.009 RD razor blade (American Safety Razor, 1 Razor Blade Lane, Verona, Va., USA) held perpendicular to the fill plate surface was used to scrape excess PCS from the top and bottom surfaces of the fill plate, leaving the surfaces of the PCS in each well flush with the surfaces of the fill plate. A Kimwipe (Kimberly Clarke, Roswell, Ga., USA) was used to wipe the excess PCS from the edges and sides of the fill plate. A 1 ml, 96-deep well plate (Axygen, Union City, Calif., USA) was weighed, and the fill plate was then placed on the top of the deep well plate with the top surface adjacent to the open end of the well plate (e.g., the top of the well plate), and the wells aligned with the PCS-filled holes in the fill plate. The fill plate was secured in this position, and the assembly centrifuged at 2500 rpm (1350×g) for 5 minutes in a Sorvall Legend RT+(Thermo Scientific, Waltham, Mass., USA). Following centrifugation, the PCS had been transferred to the deep well plate. The deep well plate containing the PCS was reweighed, and the mass of the PCS in the plate determined. The mass of the PCS in each well was determined by dividing the total mass of the PCS by 96. A 3 mm glass bead (Fisher Scientific, Waltham, Mass., USA) was placed in each well for mixing.

The desired final solids content of the PCS was then generated by addition of the appropriate mass of buffer and the cellulolytic enzyme composition to give the desired dilution factor (e.g., to obtain 18% total solids from a 12.7 g mass of 24.75% total solids, PCS requires a final mass in each well of 0.182 g). 0.8 M Sodium acetate pH 5.0 containing 16 mM manganese sulfate was added at a suitable volume to generate a final concentration of 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0 containing 1 mM manganese sulfate final. The cellulolytic enzyme composition was added to give the final concentration desired. The buffer and cellulolytic enzyme composition were added using multichannel pipets (Rainin Instrument LLC, Oakland, Calif., USA). Plates were sealed using an ALPS 300® plate sealer (ThermoFisher Scientific, Waltham, Mass., USA). A Costar 3099 universal microtiter plate lid (Corning, Corning, N.Y., USA) was placed over the plate seal and affixed with tape. Sealed plates were mixed thoroughly by vigorous shaking, or by inverting the plates and centrifuging upside-down, inverting the plates and centrifuging right-side up and repeating several times as necessary. Finally, two plates were placed into a 500 ml flask adaptor, in an Innova 44 shaker/incubator (New Brunswick Scientific, Edison, N.J., USA) equilibrated from 50° C. to 60° C. and was oriented perpendicular to the plane of the shaker base. This orientation permitted greater agitation by the glass beads in each well. Saccharification reactions were incubated with shaking at 200 rpm for 3 days. After 3 days of incubation, the plates were removed from the shaker incubator, cooled to room temperature, centrifuged at 3000 rpm (1940×g), and the seals were removed.

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) mobile phase buffer, 5 mM H₂SO₄+0.5% (w/w) benzoic acid, was added to each well in a volume necessary to dilute each saccharification reaction 4-fold. Each well was mixed by pipetting, and the supernatants were obtained by filtration using a 0.45 μm MULTISCREEN® 96 well centrifuge filter plate (Millipore, Bedford, Mass., USA). Filtered supernatants were analyzed by HPLC.

For HPLC analysis, the sugar concentrations of samples were measured using a 4.6×250 mm AMINEX® HPX-87H column (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, Calif., USA) by elution in the described HPLC buffer at a flow rate of 0.6 ml per minute at 65° C. over 11 minutes and quantification by integration of glucose and cellobiose signals from refractive index detection (CHEMSTATION®, AGILENT® 1100 HPLC, Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, Calif., USA) calibrated with pure sugar samples. The resultant glucose was used to calculate the percentage of cellulose conversion for each reaction.

Measured sugar concentrations were adjusted for the appropriate dilution factor. The net concentrations of enzymatically-produced sugars from milled unwashed PCS were determined by adjusting the measured sugar concentrations for corresponding background sugar concentrations in unwashed PCS at zero time point. All HPLC data processing was performed using MICROSOFT EXCEL™ software (Microsoft, Richland, Wash., USA).

Example 12
Comparison of the Trichoderma virens, Trichoderma Atroviride, and Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 Polypeptides in the Hydrolysis of Milled PCS at 50-60° C. By a Cellulolytic Enzyme Composition

The Trichoderma virens, Trichoderma atroviride, and Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptides were each evaluated for their ability to enhance the PCS-hydrolyzing activity of the cellulolytic enzyme composition (Example 6) using milled PCS (Example 11) at 50° C., 55° C., and 60° C. Each GH61 polypeptide was separately added at 1.2 mg of enzyme protein per gram cellulose to 6.8 mg of the cellulolytic enzyme composition per gram cellulose. The cellulolytic enzyme composition was composed of 43.5% Aspergillus fumigatus Cel7A cellobiohydrolase I, 28.2% Aspergillus fumigatus Cel6A cellobiohydrolase II, 11.8% Trichoderma reesei GH5 endoglucanase II, 5.9% Aspergillus fumigatus GH10 xylanase, 7.1% Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase 4M variant, and 3.5% Aspergillus fumigatus beta-xylosidase. The results were compared with the cellulase enzyme composition without GH61 polypeptide at 6.8 and 8.0 mg of enzyme protein per gram cellulose.

The assay was performed as described in Example 11. The 0.182 mg reactions with 18% total solids milled unwashed PCS were conducted for 72 hours in 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0 containing 1 mM manganese sulfate. All reactions were performed in quadruplicate and involved continuous mixing by shaking at 200 rpm.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cellulolytic enzyme composition (“cellulase composition”) that included either Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide, Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide, or Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide produced significantly higher glucose conversion than the cellulolytic enzyme composition without GH61 polypeptide (6.8 mg protein/g cellulose and 8.0 mg protein/g cellulose) at all temperatures. The results in FIG. 2 show that the cellulolytic enzyme composition that included Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide or Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide performed similarly at all three temperatures with higher hydrolysis than the Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide at 60° C.

Example 13
Microcrystalline Cellulose Hydrolysis Assay

A 5% microcrystalline cellulose slurry was prepared by addition of 2.5 g of microcrystalline cellulose (AVICEL® PH101; Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, Mo., USA) to a graduated 50 ml screw-cap conical tube followed by approximately 40 ml of Milli-Q® (Millipore, Bedford, Mass., USA) water. The conical tube was then mixed thoroughly by shaking/vortexing, and adjusted to 50 ml total with Milli-Q® water and mixed again. Contents of the tube were then quickly transferred to a 100 ml beaker and stirred rapidly with a magnetic stirrer.

The hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose was conducted using 1.1 ml or 2.2 ml deep-well plates (Axygen, Union City, Calif., USA) in a total reaction volume of 0.5 ml or 1.0 ml, respectively. The hydrolysis was performed with 5% of the microcrystalline cellulose slurry (containing 100% cellulose). The microcrystalline cellulose slurry was pipetted into each well of the 1.1 ml or 2.2 ml deep-well plate using a 1000 μl micropipette with a wide aperture tip (end of tip cut off about 2 mm from the base). Each reaction was performed with and without the addition of 20 mM catechol. The final reaction buffer was 50 mM ammonium acetate pH 8.0 containing 10 uM copper sulfate. An enzyme mixture consisting of Trichoderma reesei GH5 endoglucanase II (loaded at 2 mg protein per g cellulose) and Aspergillus fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase (loaded at 2 mg protein per g cellulose) was added to the assay with and without the GH61 polypeptide (loaded at 5 mg protein per g cellulose). The plate was then sealed using an ALPS-300™ plate heat sealer (Abgene, Epsom, United Kingdom), mixed thoroughly, and incubated at 50° C. for 72 hours. All experiments reported were performed in triplicate.

Following hydrolysis, samples were filtered using a 0.45 μm MULTISCREEN® 96-well filter plate (Millipore, Bedford, Mass., USA) and filtrates analyzed for sugar content as described below. When not used immediately, filtered aliquots were frozen at −20° C. The sugar concentrations of the samples were measured using a 4.6×250 mm AMINEX® HPX-87H column (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, Calif., USA) by elution with 0.05% w/w benzoic acid-0.005 M H₂SO₄at 65° C. at a flow rate of 0.6 ml per minute, and quantitation by integration of the glucose signal from refractive index detection (CHEMSTATION®, AGILENT® 1100 HPLC, Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, Calif., USA) calibrated by pure sugar samples.

All HPLC data processing was performed using MICROSOFT EXCEL™ software (Microsoft, Richland, Wash., USA). The resultant glucose equivalents were used for comparison of each reaction. Triplicate data points were averaged and standard deviation was calculated.

Example 14
Effect of the Trichoderma atroviride GH61 Polypeptide and Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 Polypeptide on the Hydrolysis of Microcrystalline Cellulose

The Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide and Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide were individually evaluated for the ability to enhance the hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose by Trichoderma reesei GH5 endoglucanase II (loaded at 2 mg protein per g cellulose) and Aspergillus fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase (loaded at 2 mg protein per g cellulose) with and without the addition of 20 mM catechol at 50° C. The Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide or Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide were added at 5 mg protein per g cellulose. The mixture of T. reesei GH5 endoglucanase II (loaded at 2 mg protein per g cellulose) and A. fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase (loaded at 2 mg protein per g cellulose) was also run as a control without added GH61 polypeptide.

The assay was performed as described in Example 13. The 1 ml reactions with microcrystalline cellulose were conducted for 72 hours in 50 mM ammonium acetate pH 8.0 containing 10 μM copper sulfate. All reactions were performed in triplicate and involved single mixing at the beginning of hydrolysis.

As shown in FIG. 3, hydrolysis of the microcrystalline cellulose by the mixture of T. reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and A. fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase without catechol produced similar results as that obtained with either the Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide or Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide added to the mixture of T. reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and A. fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase without catechol. The addition of either the Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide or Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide to the mixture of T. reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and A. fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase without catechol did not improve hydrolysis of the microcrystalline cellulose. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the addition of either the Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide or Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide to the mixture of T. reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and A. fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase with 20 mM catechol resulted in a higher degree of glucose production (shown in g/L) compared to the addition of either the Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide or Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide to the mixture of T. reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and A. fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase without added catechol and compared to the mixture of T. reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and A. fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase without GH61 polypeptide and without added catechol. The results demonstrated a 3.24-fold improvement (or 224% increase) in hydrolysis of the microcrystalline cellulose by Trichoderma atroviride GH61 polypeptide addition to the mixture of T. reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and A. fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase with catechol compared to without catechol and the results demonstrated a 2.81-fold improvement (or 181% increase) in hydrolysis of the microcrystalline cellulose by Trichoderma saturnisporum GH61 polypeptide addition to the mixture of T. reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and A. fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase with catechol compared to without catechol.

Example 15
Effect of the Trichoderma virens GH61 Polypeptide on the Hydrolysis of Microcrystalline Cellulose

The Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide was evaluated for the ability to enhance the hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose in the presence of Trichoderma reesei GH5 endoglucanase II (loaded at 2 mg protein per g cellulose) and Aspergillus fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase (loaded at 2 mg protein per g cellulose) with and without the addition of 20 mM catechol at 50° C. The Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide was added at 5 mg protein per g cellulose. The mixture of Trichoderma reesei GH5 endoglucanase II (loaded at 2 mg protein per g cellulose) and Aspergillus fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase (loaded at 2 mg protein per g cellulose) was also run as a control without added GH61 polypeptide.

The assay was performed as described in Example 13. The 0.5 ml reactions with microcrystalline cellulose were conducted for 72 hours in 50 mM ammonium acetate pH 8.0 containing 10 μM copper sulfate. All reactions were performed in triplicate and involved single mixing at the beginning of hydrolysis.

As shown in FIG. 4, the addition of Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide to the mixture of Trichoderma. reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and Aspergillus fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase with 20 mM catechol resulted in a higher degree of glucose production (shown in g/L) compared to the addition of Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide to the mixture of T. reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and A. fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase without added catechol and compared to the mixture of T. reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and A. fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase without GH61 polypeptide and without added catechol. The results demonstrated a 3.6-fold improvement in hydrolysis of the microcrystalline cellulose by Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide addition in the Trichoderma reesei GH5 endoglucanase II and Aspergillus fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase mixture containing 20 mM catechol compared to the enzyme mixture containing Trichoderma virens GH61 polypeptide, Trichoderma reesei GH5 endoglucanase II, and Aspergillus fumigatus GH3 beta-glucosidase without catechol.

The present invention is further described by the following numbered paragraphs:

[1] A process for degrading a cellulosic material, comprising: treating the cellulosic material with an enzyme composition in the presence of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity selected from the group consisting of: (a) a GH61 polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4, or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6; (b) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under at least very high stringency conditions with (i) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, (ii) the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or (iii) the full-length complement of (i) or (ii); (c) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8, or the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 9; (d) a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more positions; and (e) a fragment of the GH61 polypeptide of (a), (b), (c), or (d) that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

[2] The process of paragraph 1, wherein the GH61 polypeptide has at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4, or at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6.

[3] The process of paragraph 1, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under very high stringency conditions with (i) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, (ii) the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or (iii) the full-length complement of (i) or (ii).

[4] The process of paragraph 1, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is encoded by a polynucleotide having at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8, or the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 9.

[5] The process of any of paragraphs 1-4, wherein the GH61 polypeptide comprises or consists of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6.

[6] The process of any of paragraphs 1-4, wherein the GH61 polypeptide comprises or consists of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6.

[7] The process of paragraph 6, wherein the mature polypeptide is amino acids 22 to 347 of SEQ ID NO: 2, amino acids 22 to 349 of SEQ ID NO: 4, or amino acids 22 to 346 of SEQ ID NO: 6.

[8] The process of paragraph 1, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more positions.

[9] The process of any of paragraphs 1-8, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6, wherein the fragment has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

[10] The process of any of paragraphs 1-9, wherein the cellulosic material is pretreated.

[11] The process of any of paragraphs 1-10, wherein the enzyme composition comprises one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of a cellulase, a hemicellulase, an esterase, an expansin, a laccase, a ligninolytic enzyme, a pectinase, a catalase, a peroxidase, a protease, and a swollenin.

[12] The process of paragraph 11, wherein the cellulase is one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of an endoglucanase, a cellobiohydrolase, and a beta-glucosidase.

[13] The process of paragraph 11, wherein the hemicellulase is one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of a xylanase, an acetylxylan esterase, a feruloyl esterase, an arabinofuranosidase, a xylosidase, and a glucuronidase.

[14] The process of any of paragraphs 1-13, further comprising recovering the degraded cellulosic material.

[15] The process of paragraph 14, wherein the degraded cellulosic material is a sugar.

[16] The process of paragraph 15, wherein the sugar is selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose, mannose, galactose, and arabinose.

[17] The process of any of paragraphs 1-16, wherein the enzyme composition and/or the GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity are in the form of a fermentation broth with or without cells]

[18] A process for producing a fermentation product, comprising: (a) saccharifying a cellulosic material with an enzyme composition in the presence of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity; (b) fermenting the saccharified cellulosic material with one or more (e.g., several) fermenting microorganisms to produce the fermentation product; and (c) recovering the fermentation product from the fermentation; wherein the GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a GH61 polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4, or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6; (b) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under at least very high stringency conditions with (i) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, (ii) the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or (iii) the full-length complement of (i) or (ii); (c) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8, or the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 9; (d) a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more positions; and (e) a fragment of the GH61 polypeptide of (a), (b), (c), or (d) that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

[19] The process of paragraph 18, wherein the GH61 polypeptide has at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4, or at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6.

[20] The process of paragraph 18 or 19, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under very high stringency conditions with (i) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, (ii) the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or (iii) the full-length complement of (i) or (ii).

[21] The process of any of paragraphs 18-20, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is encoded by a polynucleotide having at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8, or the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 9.

[22] The process of any of paragraphs 18-21, wherein the GH61 polypeptide comprises or consists of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6.

[23] The process of any of paragraphs 18-21, wherein the GH61 polypeptide comprises or consists of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6.

[24] The process of paragraph 23, wherein the mature polypeptide is amino acids 22 to 347 of SEQ ID NO: 2, amino acids 22 to 349 of SEQ ID NO: 4, or amino acids 22 to 346 of SEQ ID NO: 6.

[25] The process of any of paragraphs 18-21, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more positions.

[26] The process of paragraph 18, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6, wherein the fragment has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

[27] The process of any of paragraphs 18-26, wherein the cellulosic material is pretreated.

[28] The process of any of paragraphs 18-27, wherein the enzyme composition comprises one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of a cellulase, a hemicellulase, an esterase, an expansin, a laccase, a ligninolytic enzyme, a pectinase, a catalase, a peroxidase, a protease, and a swollenin.

[29] The process of paragraph 28, wherein the cellulase is one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of an endoglucanase, a cellobiohydrolase, and a beta-glucosidase.

[30] The process of paragraph 28, wherein the hemicellulase is one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of a xylanase, an acetylxylan esterase, a feruloyl esterase, an arabinofuranosidase, a xylosidase, and a glucuronidase.

[31] The process of any of paragraphs 18-30, wherein steps (a) and (b) are performed simultaneously in a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation.

[32] The process of any of paragraphs 18-31, wherein the fermentation product is an alcohol, an organic acid, a ketone, an amino acid, an alkane, a cycloalkane, an alkene, isoprene, polyketide, or a gas.

[33] The process of any of paragraphs 18-32, wherein the enzyme composition and/or the GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity are in the form of a fermentation broth with or without cells.

[34] A process of fermenting a cellulosic material, comprising: fermenting the cellulosic material with one or more fermenting microorganisms, wherein the cellulosic material is saccharified with an enzyme composition in the presence of a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity selected from the group consisting of: (a) a GH61 polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4, or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6; (b) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under at least very high stringency conditions with (i) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, (ii) the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or (iii) the full-length complement of (i) or (ii); (c) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8, or the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 9; (d) a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more positions; and (e) a fragment of the GH61 polypeptide of (a), (b), (c), or (d) that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

[35] The process of paragraph 34, wherein the GH61 polypeptide has at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4, or at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6.

[36] The process of paragraph 34 or 35, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under very high stringency conditions with (i) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, (ii) the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or (iii) the full-length complement of (i) or (ii).

[37] The process of any of paragraphs 34-36, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is encoded by a polynucleotide having at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8, or the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 9.

[38] The process of any of paragraphs 34-37, wherein the GH61 polypeptide comprises or consists of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6.

[39] The process of any of paragraphs 34-37, wherein the GH61 polypeptide comprises or consists of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6.

[40] The process of paragraph 39, wherein the mature polypeptide is amino acids 22 to 347 of SEQ ID NO: 2, amino acids 22 to 349 of SEQ ID NO: 4, or amino acids 22 to 346 of SEQ ID NO: 6.

[41] The process of any of paragraphs 34-37, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more positions.

[42] The process of paragraph 34, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6, wherein the fragment has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

[43] The process of any of paragraphs 34-42, wherein the cellulosic material is pretreated before saccharification.

[44] The process of any of paragraphs 34-43, wherein the enzyme composition comprises one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of a cellulase, a hemicellulase, an esterase, an expansin, a laccase, a ligninolytic enzyme, a pectinase, a catalase, a peroxidase, a protease, and a swollenin.

[45] The process of paragraph 44, wherein the cellulase is one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of an endoglucanase, a cellobiohydrolase, and a beta-glucosidase.

[46] The process of paragraph 44, wherein the hemicellulase is one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of a xylanase, an acetylxylan esterase, a feruloyl esterase, an arabinofuranosidase, a xylosidase, and a glucuronidase.

[47] The process of any of paragraphs 34-46, wherein the fermenting of the cellulosic material produces a fermentation product.

[48] The process of paragraph 47, further comprising recovering the fermentation product from the fermentation.

[49] The process of paragraph 47 or 48, wherein the fermentation product is an alcohol, an organic acid, a ketone, an amino acid, an alkane, a cycloalkane, an alkene, isoprene, polyketide, or a gas.

[50] The process of any of paragraphs 34-49, wherein the enzyme composition and/or the GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity are in the form of a fermentation broth with or without cells.

[51] A composition comprising a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity selected from the group consisting of: (a) a GH61 polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4, or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6; (b) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under at least very high stringency conditions with (i) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, (ii) the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or (iii) the full-length complement of (i) or (ii); (c) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8, or the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 9; (d) a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more positions; and (e) a fragment of the GH61 polypeptide of (a), (b), (c), or (d) that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

[52] A whole broth formulation or cell culture composition comprising a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity selected from the group consisting of: (a) a GH61 polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 4, or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6; (b) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under at least very high stringency conditions with (i) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9, (ii) the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or (iii) the full-length complement of (i) or (ii); (c) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8, or the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, or at least 93% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 9; (d) a variant of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 6 comprising a substitution, deletion, and/or insertion at one or more positions; and (e) a fragment of the GH61 polypeptide of (a), (b), (c), or (d) that has cellulolytic enhancing activity.

The invention described and claimed herein is not to be limited in scope by the specific aspects herein disclosed, since these aspects are intended as illustrations of several aspects of the invention. Any equivalent aspects are intended to be within the scope of this invention. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. In the case of conflict, the present disclosure including definitions will control.

Various references are cited herein, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties.

Methods For Enhancing The Degradation Or Conversion Of Cellulosic Material

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