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Breakdown of keratin-laden biomass waste by the thermophilic bacteria Fervidobacterium pennivorans strain Ker

Edoardo Mandolini, will work on his master thesis focussing on the anaerobic thermophilic bacterium Fervidobacterium pennivorans, named strain Ker, isolated from a terrestrial hot-spring in Tajikistan.

Edoardo Mandolini
Edoardo Mandolini
Photo:
Chandini Ratnadevi

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Edoardo will be mainly involved with cultivation, identification of all secretory proteins of F. pennivorans Ker and assessment of the keratinolytic activity of the organism, along with assessing thermostability and optimal temperature of keratinases. Fervidobacteriaceae is a family within the Thermotogae phylum, some of which members can disintegrate chicken feathers, degrading the keratin, one of the most abundant proteins on Earth and often accumulates, causing a serious waste problem. Keratinases and keratinolytic microorganisms have biotechnological potential as they can convert keratin into peptides and uncommon amino acids