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Newly isolated Bacillus sp. G51 from Patagonian wool produces an enzyme combination suitable for felt-resist treatments of organic wool

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Abstract

Bacteria from Patagonian Merino wool were isolated to assess their wool-keratinolytic activity and potential for felt-resist treatments. Strains from Bacillus, Exiguobacterium, Deinococcus, and Micrococcus produced wool-degrading enzymes. Bacillus sp. G51 showed the highest wool-keratinolytic activity. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that G51 secreted two serine proteases belonging to the peptidase family S8 (MEROPS) and a metalloprotease associated with Bacillolysin, along with other enzymes (γ-glutamyltranspeptidase and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenases) that could be involved in reduction of keratin disulfide bonds. Optimum pH and temperature of G51 proteolytic activity were 9 and 60 °C, respectively. More than 80% of activity was retained in H2O2, Triton X-100, Tween 20, Lipocol OXO650, Teridol B, and β-mercaptoethanol. Treatment of wool top with G51 enzyme extract caused a decrease in wool felting tendency without significant weight loss (<1.5%). Sparse work has so far been performed to investigate suitable keratinases for the organic wool sector. This eco-friendly treatment based on a new enzyme combination produced by a wild bacterium has potential for meeting the demands of organic wool processing which bans the use of hazardous chemicals and genetic engineering.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge to Fuhrmann S.A. for kindly providing wool tops and to UNILAN Trelew S.A., Lanera Austral S.A., Estancia San Guillermo, and Estancia Don Martín for raw wool samples. The authors are also grateful to Jaime Groizard (ALUAR Aluminio Argentino) for scanning electron micrographs. This work was supported by the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT), Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva, Argentina (PICT Start Up 2012–2004); and the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina (PIP 11220120100050CO). Martín Iglesias is grateful to ANPCyT for his Ph.D. grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales (IPEEC-CCT CENPAT-CONICET), Blvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina

    Martín S. Iglesias & Nelda L. Olivera

  2. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR-CCT CENPAT- CONICET), Blvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina

    Cynthia Sequeiros

  3. Centro INTI-CHUBUT, Calle G. Lobato 3531, Parque Industrial, Trelew, Chubut, Argentina

    Sebastián García

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  1. Martín S. Iglesias
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Correspondence to Nelda L. Olivera.

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Iglesias, M.S., Sequeiros, C., García, S. et al. Newly isolated Bacillus sp. G51 from Patagonian wool produces an enzyme combination suitable for felt-resist treatments of organic wool. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 40, 833–842 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-017-1748-4

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