ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering | 2019
Keratin Waste Recycling Based on Microbial Degradation: Mechanisms and Prospects
Abstract
The severe shortage of protein resources has motivated researchers to seek cheap and sustainable proteins and to produce new functional materials in an environmentally friendly way. Keratin is a ubiquitous and stubborn protein that is attractive for sustainability but difficult to recycle. Structurally, keratin is characterized by a large amount of disulfide bonds, hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic forces and results in considerable hardness. Biorecycling of keratin is more promising than traditional processors because of the green production process, rich products and higher product value. Microbial strains capable of degrading keratin are constantly being developed. However, the mechanism of keratin decomposition by these microorganisms is not fully elucidated, which greatly hinders the sustainable use of keratin waste. In this review, we summarize the underlying mechanisms involved in microbial decomposition of keratin and attempt to discuss prospects and future directions in conjunction with systems biol...