title: Newly isolated Bacillus sp. G51 from Patagonian wool produces an enzyme combination suitable for felt-resist treatments of organic wool.
abstract: Bacteria from Patagonian Merino wool were isolated to assess their wool-keratinolytic activity and potential for felt-resist treatments. Strains from Bacillus, Exiguobacterium, Deinococcus, and Micrococcus produced wool-degrading enzymes. Bacillus sp. G51 showed the highest wool-keratinolytic activity. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that G51 secreted two serine proteases belonging to the peptidase family S8 (MEROPS) and a metalloprotease associated with Bacillolysin, along with other enzymes (γ-glutamyltranspeptidase and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenases) that could be involved in reduction of keratin disulfide bonds. Optimum pH and temperature of G51 proteolytic activity were 9 and 60 °C, respectively. More than 80% of activity was retained in H2O2, Triton X-100, Tween 20, Lipocol OXO650, Teridol B, and β-mercaptoethanol. Treatment of wool top with G51 enzyme extract caused a decrease in wool felting tendency without significant weight loss (<1.5%). Sparse work has so far been performed to investigate suitable keratinases for the organic wool sector. This eco-friendly treatment based on a new enzyme combination produced by a wild bacterium has potential for meeting the demands of organic wool processing which bans the use of hazardous chemicals and genetic engineering.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales (IPEEC-CCT CENPAT-CONICET), Blvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina.
authors.forename: Martín S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Iglesias
authors.affiliation: Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR-CCT CENPAT- CONICET), Blvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sequeiros
authors.affiliation: Centro INTI-CHUBUT, Calle G. Lobato 3531, Parque Industrial, Trelew, Chubut, Argentina.
authors.forename: Sebastián
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales (IPEEC-CCT CENPAT-CONICET), Blvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina. olivera@cenpat-conicet.gob.ar.
authors.forename: Nelda L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Olivera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001407:Bacillus; D004795:Enzyme Stability; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D017830:Octoxynol; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D013696:Temperature; D014935:Wool
chemical_list: D017830:Octoxynol; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases
keywords: Bacillus; Felting; Keratinases; Organic wool; Patagonia