Use of microorganisms in hydrolysis of amyloids and Meat and Bone Meal

Abstract

The interdiction of the use of MBM in animal feeding makes the elaboration of simple and economically viable procedures of valorization and decontamination of substances containing pathogenic prions necessary. One of the possible solutions is the use of microorganisms. Hence, collections of microorganisms able to grow on keratin or on MBM, and secreting proteases able to degrade PrPsc were screened. Three strains of thermophilic bacteria, isolated initially from hot springs scattered on the planet, were able to degrade amyloids (some of them infectious) and to grow on media made of MBM. Their proteolytic activity, mostly of chymotryptic nature were maximal between 60 and 80 °C and were triggered towards the hydrolysis of peptide bonds between amino acids largely present in prion proteins. Their action cleaves the prion protein into short inoffensive fragments. The perspectives resulting from this work imply the use of such microorganisms, whose proteolytic potential allows to degrade MBM-containing prions, actually still incinerated.