Production and Characterization of Keratinase from Paracoccus sp. WJ-98

A bacterial strain WJ-98 found to produce active extracellular keratinase was isolated from the soil of a poultry factory. It was identified as Paracoccus sp. based on its 16S rRNA sequence analysis, morphological and physiological characteristics. The optimal culture conditions for the production of keratinase by Paracoccus sp. WJ-98 were investigated. The optimal medium composition for keratinase production was determined to be 1.0% keratin, 0.05% urea and NaCl, 0.03% K$_2$HPO$_4$, 0.04% KH$_2$PO$_4$, and 0.01% MgCl$_2$$.$6H$_2$O. Optimal initial pH and temperature for the production of keratinase were 7.5 and 37$^{\circ}C$, respectively. The maximum keratinase production of 90 U/mL was reached after 84 h of cultivation under the optimal culturing conditions. The keratinase from Paracoccus sp. WJ-98 was partially purified from a culture broth by using ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, followed by gel filtration chromatography on Sephadex G-75. Optimum pH and temperature for the enzyme reaction were pH 6.8 and 50$^{\circ}C$, respectively and the enzymes were stable in the pH range from 6.0 to 8.0 and below 50$^{\circ}C$. The enzyme activity was significantly inhibited by EDTA, Zn$\^$2+/ and Hg$\^$2+/. Inquiry into the characteristics of keratinase production from these bacteria may yield useful agricultural feed processing applications.