Published Paper Details:

Keratin is a durable, insoluble, fibrous protein belonging to the large family of structural protein to form hair, nails, feathers, wool and horns. Keratin present in higher vertebrates (mammals, birds and reptiles). Keratin doesn't degrade in nature because of the tight packing of their polypeptide chains in alpha-helix structures and their linkage by disulphide bridges. Food industry especially the poultry farms, meat market, slaughter house and wool industries produces million tons of keratin waste. According to a literature review, keratin waste contributes to environmental pollution, resulting in the destruction of a valuable resource, a decrease in species diversity, and soil acidification with negative impact on ecosystem. In nature for overcome these problem keratinophilic fungi play significant ecological role in degrading keratin residues. Keratinase enzyme is an enzyme produced by keratinophilic fungus that digests keratin. The current findings suggest that keratinophilic fungi may play a key role in keratin degradation in the environment, and that Keratinase produced from keratin waste can be employed in the feed, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries.