Medium optimization for keratinase production by a local Streptomyces sp. NRC 13S under solid state fermentation

Thirteen different Streptomyces isolates were evaluated for their ability to produce keratinase using chicken feather as a sole carbon and nitrogen sources under solid state fermentation (SSF). Streptomyces sp. NRC 13S produced the highest keratinase activity (1,792 U/g fermented substrate (fs)). The phenotypic characterization and analysis of 16S rDNA sequencing of the isolate were studied. Optimization of SSF medium for keratinase production by the local isolate, Streptomyces sp. NRC13S, was carried out using the one-variable-at-a-time and the statistical approaches. In the first optimization step, the effect of incubation period, initial moisture content, initial pH value of the fermentation medium, and supplementation of some agro-industrial by-products on keratinase production were evaluated. The strain produced about 2,310 U/gfs when it grew on chicken feather with moisture content of 75% (w/w), feather: fodder yeast ratio of 70:30 (w/w), and initial pH 7 using phosphate buffer after 8 days. Based on these results, the Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology were applied to find out the optimal conditions for the enzyme production. The corresponding maximal production of keratinase was about 2,569.38 U/gfs.