Process for degradation of keratin, keratinaceous material, collagen and collagenaceous material with enzyme material, cell-free culture or cell culture from micrococcus sedentarius

A process for the degradation of keratin comprising contacting keratin with a cell-free culture of Micrococcus sedentarius, which exhibits the ability to degrade keratin, said culture having an enzyme material with the following characteristics:

• water soluble,
• non-dialysable through a membrane having a molecular weight cut-off of 10 kDa,
• an isoelectric point of 4.6 or 2.7,
• a molecular weight of 30.3 kDa or 50 kDa,
• an optimum pH for protease activity at about 8.2 or at about 10.2,
• an optimum temperature for protease activity at about 40.degree. C. or 46.degree. C.

A process for the degradation of collagen comprising contacting collagen with a cell culture of Micrococcus sedentarius, which exhibits the ability to degrade collagen, said cell culture having an enzyme material with the following characteristics:

• water soluble,
• non-dialysable through a membrane having a molecular weight cut-off of 10 kDa,
• an isoelectric point of 4.6 or 2.7,
• a molecular weight of 30.3 kDa or 50 kDa,
• an optimum pH for protease activity at about 8.2 or at about 10.2,
• an optimum temperature for protease activity at about 40.degree. C. or 46.degree. C.

A process for the preparation of degradation products from keratinaceous material comprising contacting said material with an enzyme material isolated from a culture of Micrococcus sedentarius, which comprises one or more proteases having an ability to degrade keratin, said enzyme material having the following characteristics:

• water soluble,
• non-dialysable through a membrane having a molecular weight cut-off of 10 kDa,
• an isoelectric point of 4.6 or 2.7,
• a molecular weight of 30.3 kDa or 50 kDa,
• an optimum pH for protease activity at about 8.2 or at about 10.2,
• an optimum temperature for protease activity at about 40.degree. C. or 46.degree. C.

A process for the preparation of degradation products from collagenaceous material comprising contacting said material with an enzyme material isolated from a culture of Micrococcus sedentarius, which comprises one or more proteases having an ability to degrade collagen, said cell culture having the following characteristics:

• water soluble,
• non-dialysable through a membrane having a molecular weight cut-off of 10 kDa,
• an isoelectric point of 4.6 or 2.7,
• a molecular weight of 30.3 kDa or 50 kDa,
• an optimum pH for protease activity at about 8.2 or at about 10.2,
• an optimum temperature for protease activity at about 40.degree. C. or 46.degree. C.