NOVELTY - An isolated variant of a parent cutinase comprising a substitution at one or more positions corresponding to amino acid residue 31, 36, 45, 52, 70, 120, 143, 167, and 174 of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO. 2, and which variant has cutinase activity, is new. Sequences not defined here may be found at ftp://ftp.wipo.int/pub/published_pct_sequences/publication.    USE - The variant and methods are useful for modifying a surface; converting cutins in plant biomass to chemical feedstocks; and for recycling a polyester (all claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The variant has an improved property relative to the parent, where the improved property is selected from catalytic efficiency, catalytic rate, specific activity, substrate binding, substrate cleavage, and substrate specificity (claimed). In particular, the variant has increased transacylation activity.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An isolated variant of a parent cutinase comprising a substitution at one or more positions corresponding to amino acid residue 31, 36, 45, 52, 70, 120, 143, 167, and 174 of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO. 2 selected from: Pro31Ala,Arg,Asn,Asp,Cys,Gln,Glu,Gly,His,Ile,Leu,Lys,Met,Phe,Ser,Thr,Trp,Tyr,Val; Ile36Ala,Arg,Asn,Asp,Cys,Gln,Glu,Gly,His,Leu,Lys,Met,Phe,Pro,Ser,Thr,Trp,Tyr,Val; Gly45Ala,Arg,Asn,Asp,Cys,Gln,Glu,His,Ile,Leu,Lys,Met,Phe,Pro,Ser,Thr,Trp,Tyr,Val; Asn52Glu; Phe70Ala,Arg,Asn,Asp,Cys,Gln,Glu,Gly,His,Ile,Leu,Lys,Met,Pro,Ser,Thr,Trp,Tyr,Val; Gly120Ser; Gly143Ala,Arg,Asn,Asp,Cys,Gln,Glu,His,Ile,Leu,Lys,Met,Phe,Pro,Ser,Thr,Trp,Tyr,Val; Leu167Ala; and Leu174Asn,Gln, and which variant has cutinase activity, is new. Sequences not defined here may be found at ftp://ftp.wipo.int/pub/published_pct_sequences/publication. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are:    (1) an isolated polynucleotide encoding the variant;    (2) a nucleic acid construct comprising the polynucleotide;    (3) an expression vector comprising the polynucleotide;    (4) a host cell comprising the polynucleotide;    (5) a method of producing or obtaining a cutinase variant or the variant;    (6) a transgenic plant, plant part or plant cell transformed with the polynucleotide;    (7) a method of modifying a surface comprising: (a) adding the variant to a surface; and (b) detecting a change in at least one physico-chemical property, preferably where the at least one physico-chemical property is biocompatibility, chemical resistance, enhancing hydrophobicity, adhesion and/or wettability of the surface;    (8) a method of converting cutins in plant biomass to chemical feedstocks comprising adding the variant to a cutin containing plant biomass under conditions conductive for conversion; and    (9) a method of recycling a polyester comprising adding the variant to the polyester to be recycled, preferably where the polyester is a poly(omega-hydroxyfattyacid) or a synthetic polyester.