CHARACTERIZATION OF ANTARCTIC KERATINOLYTIC Arthrobacter SP

Keratin is one of most abundant polymers in nature and the main source are feathers. In the poultry industry and in soils, bacteria are responsible for secretion of enzymes that create feather degradation. The diversity of bacteria in Antarctic soils has been studied in the few last years, but the ecological roles of bacteria are poorly understood. In the present work we isolated a bacterium from ornithogenic soil and feather fragments with keratinolytic activity in low temperature (5 °C). Arthrobacter sp. strain PF1 was identified based on morphological and biochemical tests and 16S rRNA sequencing. The bacterium presented optimum growth at 4 and 25 °C, but not at 37 °C. Proteolytic activity was observed at 4 and 25 °C in pH 7 and 10. Our results show a keratinolic bacterium that has feather degradation at low temperature and pH 10, suggesting the production alkaline protease.