NOVELTY - A polypeptide having endoglucanase (EG) activity and comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 57% sequence identity to EG-A having SEQ ID NO. 7 or at least 58% sequence identity to EG-B having SEQ ID NO. 8, or its fragment or variant having EG activity is new.    USE - The polypeptide or an enzyme preparation is used in biofuel, biomass hydrolysis, starch, textile, detergent, pulp and paper, food, feed or beverage industry; and for treating cellulosic material (all claimed).    ADVANTAGE - Improved EGs for treatment of cellulosic material are provided. The EGs are used for degrading cellulosic substrates, particularly lignocellulosic substrates with enhanced efficiency. The enzymes and processes are versatile and work not only at moderate temperatures but also at high temperatures, thus increasing the reaction rates and enabling the use of high biomass consistency leading to high sugar and ethanol concentrations. This approach leads to significant savings in energy and investment costs. The high temperature also decreases the risk of contamination during hydrolysis.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are: (1) an isolated polynucleotide selected from (i) a polynucleotide comprising the coding sequence of SEQ ID NO. 5 or 6, (ii) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide above, (iii) a polynucleotide encoding a fragment of a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide of (i) or (ii), where the fragment has EG activity, and (iv) a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence which is degenerate to the nucleotide sequence of a polynucleotide of (i) or (ii); or the complementary strand of such a polynucleotide; (2) a vector which comprises a polynucleotide of (1) operably linked to regulatory sequences capable of directing expression of the polypeptide above; (3) a host cell comprising the vector of (2); (4) a method of producing a polypeptide above; (5) an enzyme preparation comprising the polypeptide above; (6) a method for treating cellulosic material with an EG or an enzyme preparation by (a) reacting the cellulosic material with the EG or the enzyme preparation comprising the EG, and (b) obtaining at least partially hydrolyzed cellulosic material; and (7) an Escherichia coli strain having accession number DSM 25492 or DSM 29493, DSM 25657, DSM, 25658, DSM 25655 or DSM 25656.