Interaction between indigo and adsorbed protein as a major factor causing backstaining during cellulase treatment of cotton fabrics

A model microassay system was developed to measure indigo back-staining on cotton fabrics in the presence of enzymes on a small laboratory scale. Back staining indexes for 11 cellulase samples were measured, and the enzymes we re ranked from lower to higher backstaining. Two multienzyme cellulase prep arations were separated into fractions using chromatofocusing on a Mono P c olumn. Adsorption ability and backstaining properties of purified enzyme fr actions were studied. Evidence was obtained that protein adsorption on cott on fabrics is a crucial parameter causing backstaining (both for crude cell ulase samples and purified enzyme components).