• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.150-157
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• 2006

Bacillus sp. SMMJ-2 producing extracellular keratinolytic protease was isolated from the Swedish soils. The optimal culture conditions for production of keratinolytic protease by Bacillus sp. SMMJ-2 were investigated. The optimal medium compositions for the keratinolytic protease production were 0.7% $K_2HPO_4$, 0.2% $KH_2PO_4$, 1.0% fructose,1.2% soybean meal (roasted), and 0.01% $Na_2CO_3$. Optimal initial pH and temperature for the production of keratinolytic protease were 7.0 and 30$^{\circ}C$, respectively. The keratinolytic protease production showed a maximum of 105 units/ml/min after 72 hours cultivation under the optimal culture conditions.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2006

Feather, generated in large quantities as a byproduct of commercial poultry processing, is almost pure keratin, which is not easily degradable by common professes. Four strains, SMMJ-2, FL-3, NO-4 and RM-12 were isolated from soil for production of extracellular keratinolytic protease. They were identified as Bacillus sp. based on their morphological and physiological characteristics. They shown high protease activity on 5.0% skim milk agar medium and produced a substrate like mucoid on keratin agar medium. Bacillus sp. SMMJ-2 had a faster production time for producing keratinolytic protease than other strains. This strain did not completely degrade whole chicken feather for five days in basal medium but completely degraded whole chicken feather when supplied with nitrogen source for 40hours in keratinolytic producing medium ($0.7%\;K_{2}HPO_{4},\;0.2%\;KH_{2}PO_{4},\;0.1%$ fructose, 1.2% whole chicken feather, $0.01%\;Na_{2}CO_3$, pH 7.0). When supplied with chicken feather as nitrogen source, keratinolytic protease activity was 89 units/ml/min. When soybean meal was used as nitrogen source, the keratinolytic protease production reached a maximum of 106 units/ml/min after 48 hours under $30^{\circ}C$, 180 agitation. To isolate the keratinolytic protease, the culture filtrate was precipitated with $(NH_4)_{2}SO_4$ and acetone. The recovery rate of keratinolytic protease was about 96% after treatment with 50% acetone. The enzyme was stable in the range of $30{\sim}50^{\circ}C$ and pH $6.0{\sim}12.0$.