No abstract

Keratinases are proteolytic enzymes predominantly active when keratin substrates are available that attack disulfide bridges in the keratin to convert them from complex to simplified forms. Keratinases are essential in preparation of animal nutrients, protein supplements, leather manufacture, textile processing, detergent formulation, feather meal processing for feed and fertilizer, the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries, and waste management. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop a method for continuous production of keratinase from reliable sources that can be easily managed. Microbial keratinase is less expensive than conventionally produced keratinase and can be obtained from fungi, bacteria, and actinomycetes. In this overview, the expansion of information about microbial keratinases and important considerations in keratinase production are discussed.

For DNA and protein detection, we have analyzed DNA/RNA immobilized biosensors based on diamond field effect transistors (FETs), where several types of atomic or molecule termination have been realized on their surfaces. Amine termination and carboxyl termination necessary for biomolecule immobilization can be formed directly on the diamond surfaces resulting in the immobilization of short DNA/RNA within 5 nm from the surface. Owing to the high areal capacitance of a liquid electric double layer capacitor and a solid channel capacitor, the change in the surface charge caused by the hybridization of DNA/RNA and the protein binding to DNA/RNA aptamers can be efficiently detected. The charge of surface termination groups such as NH þ 3 , O À , COO À affects the suppression of nonspecific binding. The detection of biomolecules such as one-base mismatch of DNA and proteins that is unaffected by nonspecific binding can be realized as a result.

No abstract