New feather-degrading filamentous fungi.

Among 106 filamentous fungi isolated from poultry farm waste, 13 species belonging to seven genera (Aspergillus, Acremonium, Alternaria, Beauvaria, Curvularia, Paecilomyces, and Penicillium) were able to grow and produce keratinase in stationary cultures using poultry feather powder as the only substrate. The four most efficient keratinase producers were selected for a comparative study of keratinase production in submerged and stationary conditions. The highest keratinolytic activities were produced after 4-6 days of cultivation in submerged conditions: 53.8 +/- 6.1 U/mL (Alternaria tenuissima), 51.2 +/- 5.4 U/mL (Acremonium hyalinulum), 55.4 +/- 5.2 U/mL (Curvularia brachyspora), and 62.8 +/- 4.8 U/mL (Beauveria bassiana). These novel nondermatophytic keratinolytic fungi have potential use in biotechnological processes involving keratin hydrolysis. The results of this work contribute to show that keratinolytic activity is relatively widespread among common filamentous fungi and may have an important rule in feather decomposition in natural settings.