Synthesis and regulation of extracellular keratinase in three fungi isolated from the grounds of a gelatin factory,Jabalpur, India

Chrysosporium queenslandicum, Graphium penicilloideus andScopulariopsis brevicaulis were grown on various supplemented basal salts media to compare keratinase induction, activity and repression. All three fungi can utilize keratin as a sole source of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur. Total keratinase activity inC. queenslandicum andS. brevicaulis, was not repressed by supplementation of keratin-containing medium with glucose, ammonium or sulfate. The production of keratinase activity was not derepressible in keratin-free media. Keratin utilization commenced before the detection of significant extracellular keratinase activity which was always associated with mycelial growth.