A study of feather-degrading streptomyces isolated from avian sources. (Social Science, Environmental, Field Biology Poster Session 02:00 PM-03:00 PM).

Celestino, Patricia B.S. ; Nguyen, Nga P. ; Ichida, Jann M. 等

BOARD 25

The feather waste produced from poultry industry is 90% beta keratin, rich in carbon, nitrogen and amino acids. Streptomyces are bacteria commonly found in soil. Keratin-degrading strains have been isolated from avian plumage, nests and poultry compost. We studied the morphology, color, microbial interactions, ability to degrade feathers and other physiological characteristics of 42 strains of Streptomyces from the Ohio Wesleyan collection. Morphology of the mycelium and spores was determined by light and scanning electron microscopy. Actinomycete agar plates were also used to assign a standard color to both aerial and reverse mycelium. Tryptone yeast broth and basal feather or snake skin medium were used to detect specific keratinase activity and pigment production, Mueller-Hinton plates for microbial interactions and antibiotic production, blood agar and basal medium for hemolytic action and carbon utilization by Streptomyces. Our Streptomyces collection varies widely in morphology and color. In three trials strains 3101 and 1633 produced broad-spectrum antibiotics active against gram positive and gram negative bacteria. When testing Streptomyces for their antibiotic susceptibility these same two strains were also resistant to clindamycin and may produce this class of antibiotics themselves. Although all 42 strains were capable of degrading feather keratin by day 21, twelve degraded feathers in less than seven days. Streptomyces colonized and degraded black feathers earlier than white feathers. Beta scales but not alpha keratin sections of snake skin were colonized by the bacteria. This specificity of keratinolytic bacteria may be useful in the study of evolution of feathers from modified beta keratin scales.

PATRICIA B.S. CELESTINO PBCELEST@OWU.EDU, NGA P. NGUYEN NPNGUYEN@OWU.EDU AND JANN M. ICHIDA JMICHIDA@OWU.EDU, DEPT OF BOTANY/MICROBIOLOGY, OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, DELAWARE OH 43015