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Novel biocatalyst for sustainable plastic removal
Summary
Scientists identified and characterized a naturally occurring enzyme (LipMRD9, discovered via metagenomic mining) that can break down PET plastic—the polymer used in bottles and clothing—under mild conditions. Enzyme-based biodegradation is a promising strategy for tackling plastic pollution at scale without generating toxic byproducts. Finding new PET-degrading enzymes in environmental microbiomes broadens the toolkit available for bioremediation of plastic waste before it fragments into microplastics.
Plastic pollution, particularly from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), represents one of the most pressing global environmental challenges of our time. PET, widely used in packaging and textiles, is resistant to natural degradation, contributing significantly to microplastic accumulation in ecosystems. Recent advances in metagenomics have enabled the discovery of novel PET-degrading enzymes, while computational and experimental techniques have been instrumental in identifying key residues that enhance catalytic efficiency and substrate specificity. In this work, we present the characterization of PETase activity in the metagenomic lipase LipMRD9, which demonstrates significant potential for PET biodegradation.