In 2020, we reported a keratinolytic strain of Aquamicrobium defluvii for the first time......

This study assessed novel keratinolytic bacteria for feather valorization to yield feather hydrolysates (FHs) to cultivate vegetables. Bacterial degradation of feather was determined through production of keratinase. Corchorus olitorius (Jute mallow), Celosia argentea (Cockscomb), and Amaranthus caudatus (Pendant amaranth) were grown with FHs through soil-less and pot experiments.

We published reviews on microbial production of keratinases and their applications in 2016 and 2019:

1. Keratinases: emerging trends in production and applications as novel multifunctional biocatalysts

Keratinases are proteolytic enzymes capable of degrading rigid and insoluble keratinous proteins present in skin
and appendages. They are produced in the keratinous substrates such as feather, hair, wool, nail, horn and hoof by

In 2015, we demonstrated the biofabrication of AgNPs by keratinase as follows:

In this study, crude extracellular keratinase obtained from a novel keratin-degrading bacterial strain, Bacillus safensis LAU 13 (GenBank accession No. KJ461434) was used for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The particles were characterised by UV–Visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy.

In 2015, for the first time, we reported a keratinolytic strain of Bacillus safensis as follows:

A newly isolated bacterium identified as Bacillus safensis based on biochemical tests and 16S rRNA analysis and its mutant variant created by exposure to ultraviolet radiation at 254 nm were investigated for keratinolytic activity.

Feather Degradation by Bacillus cereus LAU 08

Our journey on studies on microbial keratin degradation started around 2008 through series of investigations. In 2010, we reported the keratinolytic activities of a strain of Bacillus cereus as follows:

A local strain of Bacillus cereus LAU 08 was isolated from a chicken-feather disposal site in Ogbomoso, Southwest Nigeria.