Some biochemical characteristics of a partially purified extracellular keratinase from trichophyton schoenleinii

A Trichophyton schoenleinii (T. schoenleinii) strain from tinea favus was cultured in a liquid medium, from which an extracellular keratinase extract was obtained. The keratinase was partially purified with carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC) column chromatography. Some biochemical characteristics of the keratinase were then examined. Its molecular weight was estimated to be 38,000 on sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The optimal temperature was 50 degrees C, and the optimal pH value was 5.5. The keratinolytic activity was specifically increased by Fe++ and Fe .