Patent ID: 8101398

Claim:
A genetic construct comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a modified Family 6 cellulase, which nucleotide sequence is operably linked to nucleotide sequences regulating expression and secretion of a modified Family 6 cellulase from a host microbe, wherein the modified Family 6 cellulase comprises one or more mutations, said one or more mutations consisting essentially of a non-native proline residue at position 413 and optionally with: (i) a substituted non-native amino acid at position 231 consisting of Ser or Thr; (ii) a substituted non-native amino acid at position 305 consisting of Ser or Thr; (iii) a substituted non-native amino acid at position 410 consisting of Gln or Asn; (iv) a substituted non-native Glu amino acid at position 82; or (v) a combination thereof, said positions being determined from alignment of a modified Family 6 cellulase amino acid sequence with a Trichoderma reesei Cel6A amino acid sequence as defined in SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the modified Family 6 cellulase exhibits enhanced thermostability, alkalophilicity, thermophilicity or a combination thereof relative to a corresponding parent Family 6 cellulase, and wherein the modified Family 6 cellulase is derived from a fungal Family 6 cellulase.