Isolation of keratinase microorganism producer, optimization of culture medium for enzyme production and physical-chemical characterization of pure enzyme

• Grant number: 05/02712-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2006
• End date: June 30, 2008
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Jonas Contiero
• Grantee: Jonas Contiero
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Keratinases (EC 3.4.99.11) are proteolitic enzymes that are capable of degrading Keratin. These are insoluble proteins present at hight levels in feathers, wool, hair, hooves and nails. Keratinases have an important use in the poultry processing because a great potential use of protein and amino acids for animal nutrition. Keratinases of microorganisms may be useful in the biotechnological clean-up of keratin-containing wastes such as feather and hair, thereby enhancing the nutritional quality of feather meal, and in the leather industry for removal of hair from hides. So far, a myriad of keratinolytic micro-organisms, mostly bacteria and fungi, have been reported. (AU)