Already, many jean manufacturers are using cellulase enzymes to produce stone-washed jeans after discovering that cellulase is much more cost effective than traditional stone washing.

Now, it appears that a bacterial-based cellulase enzyme is even better than the fungal cellulase enzyme that had been favored in this procedure previously.

This bacterial enzyme produces a more appealing textile product than the commonly used acid cellulase which is fermented by fungi. In addition to producing a smoother product, the bacterial enzyme also backstains the fabric less than the fungus-based acid cellulase.

Craig Dees, a researcher in Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL) Health Sciences Research Division who genetically altered the special bacteria, says that the bacterial enzyme has several advantages over the fungal enzyme. "The bacteria produce much more enzyme than fungi can in the same time," he says. "There is less back staining, or smearing of the blue dye, on the white areas of the jean cuffs. The bacterial enzyme can withstand a wider range of acidity levels and temperatures during textile processing. Our bacterial cellulase is not eaten by protease, a protein that may be added to detergents.

"The bottom line is that replacing acid cellulase with bacterial cellulase should save money. And stones are not needed with the ORNL enzyme to stone wash jeans!"

In addition to this application, the same enzyme is used to break down the wastes in landfill space, removing newspaper ink in the recycling process, and converting wood to sugar in the ethanol production process.