The present invention relates to a new enzyme having chlorogenic acid esterase activity and feruloyl esterase activity, i.e. having hydrolysis and synthesis activity of chlorogenic acid and hydroxycinnamic acid esters derived from the basidiomycete Ustilago maydis, UmChIE, and derivatives thereof. The invention also relates to nucleic acids, expression vectors, and host cells comprising the nucleic acid sequences as well as methods of preparing and using the enzyme, e.g., on synthetic as well as complex natural substrates, such as sugar beet pectin, destarched wheat bran and coffee pulp.
