title: Degradation of native feathers by a novel keratinase-producing, thermophilic isolate, Brevibacillus thermoruber T1E.
abstract: Strain T1E, isolated and identified as Brevibacillus thermoruber, and evolutionally distant from the known keratinolytic isolates, proved to have feather-degrading ability. During the 7-day fermentation period, T1E consumed 10 g/l native goose feathers as the sole source of carbon and energy at 50 degrees C under aerobic conditions. The isolate secreted a thermostable, keratinolytic protease, which exhibited activity optimally at pH 6.5, whilst it was inhibited at alkaline pH. The keratin cleavage and catabolism resulted in the accumulation of free aspartic acid and soluble peptides with maximum values of 31.6 and 720 mg/l, respectively. The majority of the fermentation end-products were found to be small oligopeptides with an average molecular mass of 2275 Da.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Microbiology, Institute for Biotechnology, Bay Zoltán Foundation for Applied Research, Derkovits fasor 2., H-6726 Szeged, Hungary. bihari@bay.u-szeged.hu
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bihari
authors.forename: Diána
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vidéki
authors.forename: Erzsébet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mihalik
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szvetnik
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: Margit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balázs
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kesseru
authors.forename: István
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kiss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D001407:Bacillus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D005241:Feathers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation; D005777:Geese; D007700:Kinetics; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; C035855:keratinase