Screening for alkaline keratinolytic activity in fungi isolated from soils of the biosphere reserve “Parque Costero del Sur” (Argentina)

ELÍADES L. A.; CABELLO M.N.; VOGET, C; GALARZA, BETINA; SAPARRAT C. M.

WORLD JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY

SPRINGER

Año: 2010 vol. 26 p. 2105 - 2115

0959-3993

Keratinase enzymes with activity at alkaline pH have potential in several technological areas such as the leather industry, where they might have application in the hair removal processes. A screening for alkaline keratinolytic activity in fungi isolated from alkaline-calcareous and neutral soils in Celtis tala and Scutia buxifolia forests as well as from alkaline-sodic soils and their plant material of Distichlis spicata grassland in the eastern Buenos Aires province (Argentina) was made. The fungal strains were grown at 9.0 pH on cow hair under solid state fermentation (SSF) conditions and in submerged shaken cultures supplemented with soybean meal and tryptone. Enzyme activity of 33 taxa was evaluated on keratin azure. Each fungus showed similar levels of enzyme activity on the two tested culture conditions. Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Metarrhizium anisopliae, Neurospora tetrasperma and Westerdikella dispersa showed the highest levels of enzyme activity, which is related to the loss of hair mass. Although a high reduction in hair mass was also observed when the Chrysosporium sp. strain was inoculated, enzyme activity in these cultures was moderate. Different fungal species are also reported for the first time by their ability for keratinolytic activity at alkaline pH.