Microbial degradation of keratinous wastes is preferred over physicochemical methods as the latter is costlier and not eco-friendly. Novel habitats are promising for discovery of new microbial strains. Towards discovery of novel keratinolytic bacteria, screening of bacterial strains from a novel limestone habitat in Hundung, Manipur, India was done and a promising isolate, MBRL 575, was found t...

In order to develop a practical method for the decomposition of intact chicken feathers, a moderate thermophile strain, Meiothermus ruber H328, having strong keratinolytic activity, was used in a bio-type garbage-treatment machine working with an acidulocomposting process. The addition of strain H328 cells (15 g) combined with acidulocomposting in the garbage machine resulted in 70% degradation...

Isolation and screening of keratinolytic bacteria from the poultry feather dumped soil ICAR-NEH region, Imphal centreHanjabam Joykishan Sharma, Amanda Nongthombam, Mrinalini Khuraijam, Yaiphaba Laishram

A keratinolytic enzyme secreted by Aspergillus flavus K-03 cultured in feather meal basal medium (FMBM) containing 2% (w/v) chicken feather was purified and characterized. Keratinolytic enzyme secretion was the maximal at day 16 of the incubation period at pH 8 and 28℃. No relationship was detected between enzyme yield and increase of fungal biomass. The fraction obtained at 80% ammonium sulfat...

This study aimed to determine the influence of sewage sludge alkalization and acidification on the qualitative and quantitative composition of keratinolytic and keratinophilic fungi in a model experiment. The sludge was alkalized to pH 9 with 0.5N NaOH, 0.5N KOH, 0.5N NH 4 OH or with 2% burnt lime mixed with powdered limestone (20g CaO + 5g CaCO 3 ), and acidified to pH 4 with 0.5N HCl, 0.5N HN...

Keratinolytic microorganisms have become the subject of scientific interest due to their ability to biosynthesize specific keratinases and their prospective application in keratinic waste management. Among several bacterial classes, actinobacteria remain one of the most important sources of keratin-degrading strains, however members of the Micrococcaceae family are rarely scrutinized in regard ...

Sewage sludge is frequently applied to land. It has been shown, however, that sludges contain many toxic components and pathogenic organisms. Keratinolytic and associated non-keratinolytic fungi are considered potentially pathogenic. Our knowledge on the incidence of the fungi in the sludge environment is still insufficient. Sludge from the Bytom-Miechowice wastewater treatment plant in Upper S...