SBIR-STTR Award

During a series of innovative studies in the Department of Poultry Sciences at North Carolina State University (NCSU), Bacillus licheniformis PWD-1 was isolated and identified as a unique feather-degrading bacterium. Subsequent research elucidated the broad-spectrum keratinase enzyme, the gene encoding keratinase, and potential applications of keratinase in animal feed. These results form the basis for six U.S. and international patents. Scaled-up production of keratinase in a 150-liter fermentor in the NCSU Fermentation Facility was achieved. Based on these and other results, BioResource International, Inc. (BRI) was founded to serve as the exclusive licensee of the six keratinase patents from NCSU and commercialized this technology for the efficient application of heratinase to animal feed. To translate these preliminary findings into a commercially viable technology platform, it is necessary to validate and optimize the use of keratinase in animal feed. Thus, the objectives of this study are: 1) to determine the nutritional feasibility of keratinase enzyme as an additive in poultry feed; and 2) to determine the economic feasibility of formulating poultry feed with the enzyme.

Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications of Research:
Application of keratinase enzyme to poultry feed will directly benefit the agricultural and animal industries by enabling a more efficient conversion of feed into meat by improving the digestibility of the feed ingredients. Eight billion broiler chickens are produced in the U.S. each year. More than 14 million tons of poultry starter feed are produced for these birds. Preliminary studies showed that supplementing the starter feed with keratinase at g/kg could significantly improve the growth of young chicks over the chicks on a marginally protein-deficient diet. The proposed project is to confirm the preliminary data and further the research on other animals and fish. If confirmed, poultry industry alone will have the potential to save $300 million feed cost, while the new keratinase will have a market of $350 million.

The small intestine of the newly hatched chick and is immature and undergoes significant morphological, biochemical and physiological changes during the first 10 days post hatch. After this initial period, the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of the young monogastric animals becomes more capable of digesting and utilizing more nutrients. Chicks and poults during the first few days of age do not have the innate enzyme capability to digest complex nutrients, which ultimately result in increased microbial fermentation and altered gut viscosity. This condition adversely affects digestion and nutrient absorption, and as a result, causes decreased body weights and lowered feed efficiency in the birds. Within the last few years, both the academic and commercial agricultural research communities have come to realize the benefits that can result from the addition of specific enzymes to animal feeds for monogastric animals. For instance, the application of enzymes to animal feed has allowed greater dietary inclusion of ingredients previously thought to be unsuitable for animal feed. Virtually all enzymes employed in the feed industry are used as direct fed additives to achieve one or more of the following objectives: 1) Supplementation of the host's endogenous enzymes, including proteases and amylases; 2) Removal of anti-nutritional factors; 3) Improvement of bioavailability and absorption of certain nutrients and enhancement of energy value for cheaper feed ingredients. OBJECTIVES: 1) Establish a standard procedure for production and formulation of Versazyme as a keratinase-rich bacterial fermentation product for use in poultry feed; 2) Determine the efficacy of Versazyme application under commercial poultry production conditions. APPROACH: In order to guarantee a consistent product for commercial use, a standard procedure for the production and formulation of Versazyme must be developed. In this Phase II study, a production and formulation process consisting of the following four steps will be developed: 1) strain development and selection of a superior production strain; 2) selection and optimization of a medium for fermentation production of Versazyme; 3) fermentation process optimization and scale-up; 4) downstream processing development