• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.253-261
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• 2012

We isolated and characterized novel duck feather-degrading bacteria producing keratinase. Twelve strains were isolated from soil and faces at poultry farm, and decayed feathers. They were identified as Bacillus methylotrophicus, Pseudomonas geniculata, Pseudomonas hibiscicola, Exiquobacterium profundum, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Chryseobacterium indologenes, Bacillus thuringiensis, Thermomonas koreensis, respectively, by phenotypic characters and 16S rRNA gene analysis. Generally, the level of keratinase production was not proportional to feather degradation rate. The highest keratinolytic activity was observed in the culture inoculated with Chryseobacterium indologenes D27. Although all strains did not degrade human hair, strains tested effectively degraded chicken feather(53.8-91.4%), wool(40.4-93.0%) and human nail (51.0-82.9%). These results suggest that strains isolated could be not only used to improve the nutritional value of recalcitrant feather waste but also is a potential candidate for biotechnological processes of keratin hydrolysis.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1203-1208
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• 2007

Feathers are produced in huge quantities as a waste product at commercial poultry processing plants. Since feathers are almost pure keratin protein, feather wastes represent an alternative to more expensive dietary ingredients for animal feedstuffs. Generally they become feather meal used as animal feed after undergoing physical and chemical treatments. These processes require significant energy and also cause environmental pollutions. Therefore, biodegradation of feather by microorganisms represents an alternative method to prevent environment contamination. The aim of this study was to investigate cultural conditions affecting keratinolytic protease production by Bacillus pumilus RS7. We also assessed the nutritive value of microbial and alkaline feather hydrolysates, The composition of optimal medium for the keratinolytic protease was fructose 0.05%, yeast extract 0.3%, NaCl 0.05%, K2HPO4 0.03%, KH2PO4 0.04% and MgCl2 6H2O 0.01%, respectively. The optimal temperature and initial pH was $30^{\circ}C$ and 9.0, respectively. The keratinolytic protease production under optimal condition reached a maximum after 18 h of cultivation. Total amino acid content of feather hydrolysates treated by NaOH and B. pumilius RS7 was $113.8\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $504.9\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Essential amino acid content of feather hydrolysates treated by NaOH and B. pumilius RS7 was $47.2\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $334.0\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Thus, feather hydrolysates have the potential for utilization as an ingredient in animal feed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1337-1343
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to isolate chicken feather-degrading bacteria with high keratinolytic activity and to investigate cultural conditions affecting keratinolytic enzyme production by a selected isolate. A chicken feather-degrading bacterial strain CH3 was isolated from poultry wastes. Isolate CH3 degraded whole chicken feather completely within 3 days. On the basis of phenotypical and 16S rDNA studies, isolate CH3 was identified as Bacillus thuringiensis CH3. This strain is the first B. thuringiensis described as a feather degrader. The bacterium grew with an optimum at pH 8.0 and $37^{\circ}C$, where maximum keratinolytic activity was also observed. The composition of optimal medium for keratinolytic enzyme production was feather 0.1%, sucrose 0.7%, casein 0.3%, $K_2HPO_4$ 0.03%, $KH_2PO_4$ 0.04%, $MgCl_2$ 0.01% and NaCl 0.05%, respectively. The keratinolytic enzyme had a pH and temperature optima 9.0 and $45^{\circ}C$, respectively. The keratinolytic activity was inhibited ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, and metal ions like $Hg^{2+},\;Cu^{2+}\;and\;Zn^{2+}$. The enzyme activated by $Fe^{2+}$, dithiothreitol and 2-mercaptoethanol.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.210-214
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• 1997

Ruminal degradation characteristics and intestinal availability of crude protein (CP) in four animal-origin feeds (fish meal, meat meal, viscera meal, feather meal) were estimated by mobile nylon bag technique. Three ruminally and duodenally cannulated Holstein dairy cows (average body wt. 550kg) fed a diet containing 40% concentrate and 60% orchard grass hay on a dry matter (DM) basis. Assuming that the outflow rate of diet in rumen is 5% per hour (k =0.05), contents of quickly degradable CP (QDP), slowly degradable CP (SDP), and undegradable CP (UDP) in the rumen were 27.6%, 9.4%, 63.0% for fish meal, 34.3% 28.1%, 37,6% for meat meal, 43.9%, 12.5%, 43.6% for viscera meal, and 14.4%, 15.8%, 69.8% for feather meal, respectively. Intestinal CP degradability was 51.0% for fish meal, 27.2% for meat meal, 37.9% for viscera meal and 56.2% for feather meal. Available UDP in the intestinal tract was contained 288 g, 217 g, 246 g and 423 g per kilogram DM of diet in fish meal, meat meal, viscera meal and feather meal, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.314-322
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• 2018

Bacillus subtilis 8 is highly efficient at degrading feather keratin. We observed integrated feather degradation over the course of 48 h in basic culture medium while studying the entire process with scanning electron microscopy. Large amounts of ammonia, sulfite, and $\text\tiny{L}$-cysteic acid were detected in the fermented liquid. In addition, four enzymes (gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, peptidase T, serine protease, and cystathionine gamma-synthase) were identified that play an important role in this degradation pathway, all of which were verified with molecular cloning and prokaryotic expression. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first to demonstrate that cystathionine gamma-synthase secreted by B. subtilis 8 is involved in the decomposition of feather keratin. This study provides new data characterizing the molecular mechanism of feather degradation by bacteria, as well as potential guidance for future industrial utilization of waste keratin.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.225-232
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• 2019

Two feather mites, Bychovskiata hypoleuci Mironov and Ddabert, 1997 and Phyllochaeta interifolia (Mégnin and Trouessart, 1884) are reported for the first time in South Korea. Specimens of these two species were collected from the common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos. The genera Bychovskiata Dubinin, 1951 and Phyllochaeta Dubinin, 1951 are also new reports for South Korea. Here, we provide morphological descriptions and illustrations of these two species. Additionally, we provide partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I(COI) as DNA barcodes.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.6 no.spc
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• pp.152-163
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• 2017

Four feather mite species, Grallobia fulicae (Trouessart, 1885), Grallobia gallinulae Gaud, 1968, Grallolichus proctogamus (Trouessart, 1885) and Megniniella gallinulae (Buchholz, 1869), previously unrecorded in South Korea are reported. Specimens of Grallobia fulicae and Grallolichus proctogamus were collected from the eurasian coot, Fulica atra in Cheongju-si. Grallobia gallinulae and M. gallinulae were found on the common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus in Yesan-gun. The genera Grallobia Hull, 1934, Grallolichus Gaud, 1960 and Megniniella Gaud, 1958 are new records for South Korea. Here, we provide illustrations and morphological descriptions of these four feather mite species as well as the partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) as DNA barcodes.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.537-542
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• 2021

This study intended to record a species of feather mite, Neopteronyssus bilineatus Mironov, 2003, (Arachnida: Pteronyssidae), from a grey-capped pygmy woodpecker, Yungipicus canicapillus (Blyth, 1845), in the Republic of Korea. Mite samples were collected from the flight feathers of a woodpecker, preserved directly in 95% ethyl alcohol, and then observed by a light microscope after specimen preparation. Morphology of Neopteronyssus bilineatus is distinguished from other pici group species by opisthosoma part with 2 longitudinal bends, tarsal seta rIII 3 times longer than tarsus III in males, and 2 elongated hysteronotal plates extending beyond the level of setae e2 in females. In the present study, a species of feather mite, N. bilineatus, was newly recorded from Y. canicapillus in Korean fauna.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.579-584
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• 2006

A fossil feather found from the Late Pleistocene sediments of Jeju Island, Korea is described. The sediments deposited in a shallow marine environment yielded numerous footprints of diverse birds and mammals including hominids. A fossil feather well-preserved as a thin white film on the light gray mudstone is part of a vaned flight one. Although the specimen is relatively small in size (10.3 mm long and 9.0 mm wide), a rachis with two flat vanes and nearly parallel curved barbs with numerous proximal and distal barbules are well preserved. The specimen represents the first record of a fossil feather from Korea and is also the first record of feather from the Pleistocene deposits in the world.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1455-1462
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether goose growth and feather characteristics are influenced by their line and feeding surroundings, inclusive of floor materials and types, since there are no reports regarding these factors. Methods: The 240 White Roman geese which were hatched and sex identified came from 3 commercial goose farms. They were randomly distributed to 24 pens depending on a completely random design. The study continued for 13 weeks and included 3 lines of commercial geese and 2 floor types (cement strip floor [CSF] or cement floor [CF]). Results: The day one gosling weight from A farm was lower than other two farms (96 g vs 107 and 115 g; p<0.001). Afterwards, the body weight, back length, keel length, chest girth and main wing feather length among 3 farms showed no significance difference prior to 12 weeks. The CF group showed heavier body weight, shorter back length, longer keel length, shorter chest girth and shorter main wing feather length than the CSF group prior to 12 weeks. The down weight in the CF was heavier than the CSF group (57.1 g vs 41.8 g; p<0.01) prior to 13 weeks. Conclusion: The body weight showed the positive relations for dry feather weight (r = 0.59), down weight (r = 0.69), percent of the down weight of live body weight prior to 13 weeks (r = 0.61).