@article{Dada_Wakil_2021, title={HAIR REMOVAL POTENTIAL OF KERATINASE PRODUCED BY BACILLUS SPECIES ISOLATED FROM FEATHER WASTE}, volume={11}, url={https://office2.jmbfs.org/index.php/JMBFS/article/view/2113}, DOI={10.15414/jmbfs.2113}, abstractNote={<p>Keratins are tough, fibrous proteins found as the major protein component in hair. Chemical hair removal is harsh and results in severe toxicity and pollution, hence, a need for a non-chemical enzymatic hair removal process. The aim of this study is to characterise keratinase from isolated keratin-degrading <em>Bacillus licheniformis</em>-K51, <em>Bacillus subtilis</em>-K50 and <em>Bacillus</em> sp.-K53 and investigate its potential in hair removal. The collagenolytic ability of keratin-degrading keratinases obtained from <em>Bacillus licheniformis</em>-K51, <em>Bacillus subtilis</em>-K50 and <em>Bacillus</em> sp.-K53 was determined using standard methods. The depilatory potential of keratinase (directly and as part of the constituent of formulated depilatory cream) was determined <em>in vitro</em> on goat skin and <em>in vivo</em> on Wistar rat. Purified keratinases from <em>Bacillus licheniformis</em>-K51 (EZYKer-51), <em>Bacillus subtilis</em>-K50 (EZYKer-50) and <em>Bacillus</em> sp.-K53 (EZYKer-53) did not show significant collagenolytic activities. <em>In vitro</em> treatment of goat skin with EZYKer-51 showed total hair removal within 24 hours and partial hair removal with EZYKer-50 and EZYKer-53. The formulated depilatory cream containing EZYKer-51 showed highest keratinolytic activity (22.20±0.63 U/mL) followed by EZYKer-50 (20.52±0.46 U/mL) and EZYKer-53 (17.06±0.81 U/mL).<em> In vivo</em> depilatory action using formulated cream took 40 min, while that of commercial cream was achieved within 20 min.</p> <p>Keratinase from <em>Bacillus licheniformis</em>-K51 exhibited complete hair-removal function which makes it potentially suitable in industrial processes involving removal of hair.</p>}, number={2}, journal={Journal of microbiology, biotechnology and food sciences}, author={Dada, Michael Tunde and Wakil , Sherifah}, year={2021}, month={Oct.}, pages={e2113} }