Keratins from chicken feathers and sheep wool: Comparison of their molecular weight by gel electrophoresis

Abstract

Chicken feathers and sheep wool are at present considered two major agro-industrial residues which are hard to be disposed. Therefore finding applications for these residues is interesting from the viewpoint of Circular Economy. The knowledge of the properties and characteristics of keratins, which are the main constituent of these materials, can help designing final applications for them. This report presents the results of the comparative analysis of the molecular weights of keratins from Lachas heep (Ovis aries) and consumer chicken (Gallus domesticus) obtained by reductive extraction with sodium tioglycolate inalkalyne media. The analysis was carried out trough polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and showed that wool keratin has molecular weightfractions of 56, 47, 14, 10 y 8 KDa, higher on average than those of the feathers, only with lower molecular weight fractions, in the range of 8-6 KDa.