Keratinolytic activity of Bacillus megaterium F7-1, a feather-degrading mesophilic bacterium.
The aim of this study was to investigate environmental conditions affecting chicken feather degradation and keratinolytic enzyme production by Bacillus megaterium F7-1, a feather-degrading mesophilic bacterium. B. megaterium F7-1 degraded whole chicken feather completely within 7 days. The bacterium grew with an optimum at pH 7.0-11.0 and 25-40 degrees C, where maximum keratinolytic activity was also observed. The production of keratinolytic enzyme by B. megaterium F7-1 was inducible with feather. Keratinolytic enzyme production by B. megaterium F7-1 at 0.6% (w/v) skim milk was 468U/ml, which was about 9.4-fold higher than that without skim milk. The amount of keratinolytic enzyme production depended on feather concentrations. The degradation rate of autoclaved chicken feathers by cell-free culture supernatant was 26% after 24h of incubation, but the degradation of untreated chicken feathers was unsuccessful. B. megaterium F7-1 effectively degraded feather meal, duck feather and human nail, whereas human hair and sheep wool showed relatively low degradation rates. B. megaterium F7-1 presented high keratinolytic activity and was very effective in feather degradation, providing potential use for biotechnological processes of keratin hydrolysis.
Park
Geun-Tae
GT
Research and University-Industry Cooperation, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea.
Son
Hong-Joo
HJ
D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D001410:Bacillus megaterium / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism; D005241:Feathers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature
D003470:Culture Media; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007633:Keratins