Identification of a keratinase-producing bacterial strain and enzymatic study for its improvement on shrink resistance and tensile strength of wool- and polyester-blended fabric.

A wool-degrading bacterium was isolated from decomposition wool fabrics in China. The strain, named 3096-4, showed excellent capability of removing cuticle layer of wool fibers, as demonstrated by removing cuticle layer completely within 48 h. According to the phenotypic characteristics and 16S rRNA profile, the isolate was classified as Pseudomonas.