Keratinous waste is the bulk by-product of various livestock industries. Slow natural degradation of keratin and less efficient chemical hydrolysis imposes challenge for the search of alternative recycling methods. Keratin degrading microbes hydrolyse keratin to soluble peptides and amino acids. Bacillus aerius NSMk2 showed great potential for hydrolysis of chicken feather waste. Bacillus aerius NSMk2 cells grown in phosphate buffer supplemented with chicken feathers showed high disulfide reductase activity and release of sulfhydryl groups. The release of proteins and amino acids were statistically optimized at varied pH (4.0–11.0), temperature (30.0–45.0 °C) and agitation (100–250 rpm), and maximum release was recorded at pH 7.5, temperature 37 °C and shaking (175 rpm). FTIR and SEM showed sulfitolysis and extensive keratinolysis of feathers resulting in complete hydrolysis of white chicken feathers after 84 h. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry confirmed the release of low molecular weight peptides in the range of 399 to 3289.4 m/z. The present study demonstrates management of otherwise hard-to-degrade keratinous waste and simultaneous nutritional enhancement of waste chicken feathers to value-added hydrolysate that can be used in livestock feed formulations or biofertilizer in agro-industry.

角质废物是各种畜牧业的大宗副产品。角蛋白的缓慢自然降解和效率较低的化学水解对寻找替代回收方法提出了挑战。角蛋白降解微生物将角蛋白水解为可溶性肽和氨基酸。芽孢杆菌 NSMk2显示出水解鸡毛废料的巨大潜力。芽孢杆菌在补充有鸡羽毛的磷酸盐缓冲液中生长的 NSMk2 细胞显示出高二硫化物还原酶活性和巯基的释放。蛋白质和氨基酸的释放在不同的 pH (4.0–11.0)、温度 (30.0–45.0 °C) 和搅拌 (100–250 rpm) 下进行了统计优化，最大释放记录在 pH 7.5、温度 37 °C 和摇动（175 转/分）。FTIR 和 SEM 显示羽毛的亚硫酸盐分解和广泛的角蛋白分解导致白色鸡毛在 84 小时后完全水解。MALDI-TOF 质谱法证实了 399 到 3289.4 m/z 范围内的低分子量肽的释放。