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WolfSat-1: A 1U CubeSat to Monitor Enzyme Activity of Ideonella Sakaiensis in the Microgravity Environment
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This paper describes WolfSat-1, a 1U CubeSat designed to monitor the enzyme activity of Ideonella sakaiensis—a bacterium capable of degrading PET plastic—in the space environment as part of a student-led space science mission.
The Problem: Plastic Pollution • 420 million tons of plastic waste/year. • Microplastics pervade in the air, water, and soil of Earth and have even been found in human blood. • We need to recycle single use plastics in an energy efficient manner.
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Polysacharide-based Materials as Support for Ideonella Sakaiensis with Applications in Wastewater Remediation
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Researchers developed polysaccharide-based scaffolds loaded with Ideonella sakaiensis—a bacterium known for PET degradation—and evaluated their use as support materials in wastewater treatment to reduce microplastic accumulation, finding that immobilized bacteria retained degradation activity.
Explorations of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Hydrolase for addressing PET Plastic Pollution
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This review explores the biology of PETase enzymes and their potential for addressing PET plastic pollution, covering the discovery of Ideonella sakaiensis and subsequent enzyme engineering efforts. Developing efficient PET-degrading enzymes is a promising biotechnological strategy for reducing plastic pollution at scale.
A mini-review on the role of PETase in polyethylene terephthalate degradation
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This mini-review summarized the structure, performance enhancement approaches, and potential applications of PETase, the enzyme from Ideonella sakaiensis discovered in 2016 that uses PET plastic as a carbon source, alongside MHETase for complete degradation into terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. The review highlighted progress in enzyme engineering for improved PETase activity and discussed applications in bioremediation and recycling, identifying it as a key candidate for addressing the global plastic waste problem through biological degradation.
Biodegradation of PET: Current Status and Application Aspects
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This review covered the current status of PET biodegradation, focusing on the discovery and mechanism of PET hydrolytic enzymes from Ideonella sakaiensis and the pathway from enzyme identification to potential bioremediation application. The authors assess progress toward commercializing enzymatic PET degradation and identify remaining technical barriers for large-scale plastic waste management.
Degradation of PET plastic with engineered environmental bacteria
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Scientists engineered a soil bacterium to break down PET plastic, one of the most common plastics in food packaging and textiles, by giving it the ability to produce and secrete a powerful plastic-degrading enzyme. This is one of the first demonstrations of a living microorganism that can directly consume PET as a food source, which could lead to more sustainable recycling approaches.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.