Industrial application of keratinase and soluble proteins from feather keratins

Feather keratin is highly resistant to degradation, but some keratinase producing microorganisms can easily degrade these insoluble keratins. These keratinase producing species have an important application in removal of poultry waste and recycled into valuable byproduct. Bacillus sp was screened from soil samples of slaughterhouse and poultry farm area using azokeratin medium. Highest keratinase activity (122.5 KU ml(-1)) was observed at 8.0 pH. Submerged fermentation was carried out at 8.0 pH up to 5th days. On 4th day enzyme production was highest (140 KU ml(-1)) with 1% feather (w/v). Crude protein content was high on day 5, around 1.44 mg ml(-1). 75% of filtrate was found to be crude protein. The molecular weight of this keratinase was 32 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The crude protein from feather has of high nutrient value and could be used as animal feed for livestock and fish feed in aquaculture.