Keratinolysis of chicken feather and human hair by nondermatophytic keratinophilic fungi isolated from soil

Development in food industry increases consumption of chicken by people and it is estimated that tons of poultry feathers are produced by poultry farms. Hairs are other forms of keratinous waste which is generated in huge amounts by leather industries and parlours worldwide. Chicken feathers and hairs are waste contains high-quality protein, hard to degraded. Eleven nondermatophytic keratinophilic fungi were isolated from soil by hair baiting method and were used to deteriorate hairs and feathers. Pictographic authentication showed that the microbial incidence started with surface colonization of keratinous substrate, mechanical interference of substrate by penetrating hyphae and development of broad perforating organs. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of degraded and undegraded hair and the feather was made. In the sulphoxide region at 1073, the band corresponding to S-O was observed with low intensity and poorly visible in control feathers, while in degraded feather intensity of the band was high in case of Chrysosporium indicum and Chrysosporium tropicum. In Hairs, S-O band was more intense in C indicum as compared to C. tropicum while it was absent in undegraded human hair. The present work observed keratin degradation activity on human hair and chicken feather by FTIR spectra which are useful in the study of structure and mechanism of keratinolysis. Keratinous waste degradation has great potential to convert them into various byproducts such as enzymes, amino acids, biofertilizer and animal feed.

Screening of Fungi Isolates from Kaduna Refinery Effluent and Romi River and Their Potential for Bioremediation

The operation of Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) has increased effluent generation with consequent effects on water quality and habitat since it is discharged into nearby receiving water body. These effluents contain heavy metals and other toxicants. Samples were collected from the effluent discharge point of the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) and from Romi River located at Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna state. Standard methods were used to analyze the physicochemical parameters and heavy metals of the effluents. A total of 14 fungi isolates were identified from the samples. These fungi isolates were screened for their bioremediation potential on some toxic components in refinery effluent and were identified using molecular techniques. Four fungi isolates (Chrysosporium tropicum, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus oryzae) were selected for bioremediation. Carbon (IV) oxide evolution increased progressively during the period of bioremediation. There was a noticeable decline in the phenol, lead, cadmium and nickel in the entire bioremediation medium. There was a positive correlation between phenol and cadmium with a coefficient of 0.969. Consortia of fungi isolated from the refinery effluent and Romi River samples were effective in the bioremediation of refinery effluent. The mixed consortium of four fungi showed the most efficacies in the bioremediation of refinery effluent in terms of phenol, oil and grease, cadmium, lead and cadmium reduction. Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Corporation (KRPC) should adopt bioremediation as one of the techniques in treating effluents before being discharged into receiving water bodies Keywords: Effluents, Fungi, heavy metal, bioremediation.

The Dispersal of Rodent-Borne Strains of Aphanoascus Keratinophilus and Chrysosporium Tropicum by Pellets of Predatory Birds

The species composition of keratinophilic fungi in 153 pellets of nine species of predatory birds was analysed. Based on morphological criteria, a total of 439 strains of non-dermatophytic fungi of the Chrysosporium group were isolated and identified. Dermatophytes were not detected. The collection was verified using molecular methods, such as PCR-RFLP (restriction fragments length polymorphism) and two potentially pathogenic species, Aphanoascus keratinophilus and Chrysosporium tropicum, were detected. Pellet colonisation by these fungi ranged between 37.5% and 91.7% depending on the bird species. As the analysis of undigested remains found in the pellets showed, rodents, mostly Microtus, which constituted from 57% to 100% of the birds’ diet, were a chief source of A. keratinophilus and Ch. tropicum strains. It was demonstrated that the survival and dispersal of A. keratinophilus strains was supported by higher pellet moisture while those of Ch. tropicum strains by drying, which was conditioned by the site where pellets were dropped and deposited by individual species of predatory birds. Based on the results, circulation routes of both opportunistic pathogens using pellets of predatory birds as carriers are proposed.

Incidence of Keratinophilic Fungi from Selected Soils of Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra State, India

One hundred and fifty samples were collected from eleven districts of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra state and screened for the presence of keratinophilic fungi using hair baiting technique for isolation. Seventy-one isolates were recovered and identified. The cultures were identified using macro- and micromorphological features. Their identification was also confirmed by the BLAST search of sequences of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA region against the NCBI/Genbank data and compared with deposited sequences for identification purpose. Thirteen species of eight genera were isolated, namely, Auxarthron conjugatum (2.00%), Chrysosporium indicum (14.00%), Chrysosporium evolceanui (2.66%), Chrysosporium tropicum (4.66%), Chrysosporium zonatum (1.33%), Chrysosporium state of Ctenomyces serratus (3.33%), Gymnascella dankaliensis (1.33%), Gymnascella hyalinospora (0.66%), Gymnoascoideus petalosporus (0.66%), Microsporum gypseum complex (9.33%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (2.00%), T. terrestre (3.33%), and Uncinocarpus queenslandicus (2.00%). This study indicates that the soils of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra may be significant reservoirs of certain keratinophilic fungi.

Geophilic dermatophytes and other keratinophilic fungi in the nests of wetland birds

The frequency and species diversity of keratinophilic fungi in 38 nests of nine species of wetland birds were examined. Nine species of geophilic dermatophytes and 13 <em>Chrysosporium</em> species were recorded. <em>Ch. keratinophilum</em>, which together with its teleomorph (<em>Aphanoascus fulvescens</em>) represented 53% of the keratinolytic mycobiota of the nests, was the most frequently observed species. <em>Chrysosporium tropicum, Trichophyton terrestre</em> and <em>Microsporum gypseum</em> populations were less widespread. The distribution of individual populations was not uniform and depended on physical and chemical properties of the nests (humidity, pH).

Prevalence of keratinophilic fungi in soils of St. Kitts and Nevis

Introduction: Information on the prevalence of keratinophilic fungi in West Indies is scanty. Occurrence of keratinophilic fungi in soils of St. Kitts and Nevis has not been investigated previously. Methodology: The prevalence of keratinophilic fungi was investigated in 108 samples of soils of varying habitats from St. Kitts and 55 such samples from Nevis by hair-baiting technique. Fungal growths appearing on the hair baits after four to eight weeks of incubation at room temperature were microscopically examined and cultured on mycological media. Cultures were identified on the basis of colonial and microscopic features. Results: Forty-nine (45%) of the samples from St. Kitts and 38 (69%) from Nevis were positive for keratinophilic fungi. Microsporum gypseum complex, a well-known geophilic dermatophyte, was the most frequently recovered species being present in 15.7% of soils of St. Kitts and 40% of soils of Nevis. The next commonest species recovered was Chrysosporium indicum, represented by 15 (13.9%) isolates from St. Kitts and seven (12.7%) isolates from Nevis. Other infrequently isolated keratinophilic species included Chrysosporium tropicum, Chrysosporium keratinophilum, and unidentified Chrysosporium species. Conclusions: This study is the first of its kind in the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis. A high incidence of M. gypseum complex in the soil of these islands is a noteworthy finding of public health significance.

Prevalence of keratinophilic fungi in usar soils of Uttar Pradesh, India

Alkaline soils commonly called as <em>Usar</em> soil having pH 7.5 to 11.0 is commonly found in regions having poor drainage and little percolation. These soils occupy vast tracts of barren lands in the northern parts of India. These areas are frequently visited by man and animals, however there are no reports on the occurrence of keratinophilic fungi from the <em>Usar</em> soils. The purpose of this research was to study the occurrence of keratinophilic fungi in the alkaline Usar soil. To investigate the occurrence of soil keratinophilic fungi from <em>Usar</em> soil, 120 samples were collected from five districts of Uttar Pradesh viz. Lucknow, Bareilly, Azamgarh, Balia and Pratapgarh. Keratinophilic fungi were isolated by the hair baiting techniques using human hair as keratin bait. The cultures were identified using macro- and micro morphological features. Eighty-tow strains of keratinophilic fungi were recovered from 120 (68.33%) soil samples. The isolated fungi were composed of ten species of five genera viz. <em>Chrysosporium indicum</em> (19.16%), <em>Microsporum gypseum</em> (12.5%), <em>Chrysosporium tropicum</em> (10.0%), <em>Chrysosporium pannicola</em> (7.5%), <em>Trichophyton terrestre</em> (5.83%), <em>Chrysosporium lucknowense</em> (4.16%), <em>Chrysosporium</em> state of <em>Ctenomyces serratus</em> (3.33%), <em>Gymnascella dankailensis</em> (3.33%), <em>Gymnoascus reessii</em> (1.66 %) and <em>Trichophyton mentagrophytes</em> (1.66 %). The presence of keratinophilic fungi in the <em>Usar</em> soils of Uttar Pradesh, India indicates that these fungi do occur at higher alkalinity.