Bioconversion of agro-industrial feather waste utilizingthermophilic Bacillus megatarium D1

摘要

With an enormous upsurge in poultry industry a massive waste is being generated among which feathers are the mostconcerning ones. Feathers consist of 90% recalcitrant protein (keratin), and possess serious disposal problems. Presently21 keratin hydrolysing bacterial strains were isolated from soil taken from poultry waste disposal area. Among all strains Bacillus DI represented largeproteolytic zone on skim milk agar plates. Further bacteria were screened on basal media with feathers (1%) as its primary source of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur. Bacillus D1 exhibited keratinase activity up to 110.3 U/ml and soluble protein concentration liberated was 4.36 mg/ml under optimum temperature 50°C and pH 7. The isolate showed feather hydrolysis with80% efficiencywithin three days. 16S rDNA sequence revealed isolate as Bacillus megaterium with accession number KC405251. In view of its keratinolytic potential the isolate could be a potential candidate for recycling of waste feather protein.