Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Identification of Cutinolytic Esterase from Microplastic-Associated Microbiota Using Functional Metagenomics and Its Plastic Degrading Potential

Researchers used functional metagenomics to discover a new enzyme from bacteria living on microplastic surfaces that can break down certain types of plastic. The enzyme, a cutinolytic esterase, showed strong activity against synthetic polyester materials and could degrade polycaprolactone film. The findings suggest that microplastic-associated microbial communities are a promising source of novel plastic-degrading enzymes.

2023 Molecular Biotechnology 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Discovery and Biochemical Characterization of a Novel Polyesterase for the Degradation of Synthetic Plastics

Researchers used bioinformatics to discover a new enzyme from soil bacteria capable of breaking down synthetic plastics like PET and polyurethane. The enzyme was successfully expressed and characterized in the lab, offering a promising lead for developing biological plastic recycling approaches.

2020 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyurethane degradation by extracellular urethanase producing bacterial isolate Moraxella catarrhalis strain BMPPS3.

A soil bacterium, Moraxella catarrhalis strain BMPPS3, was found capable of degrading polyurethane plastic, achieving 67% weight reduction in 30 days. The discovery of naturally occurring bacteria that break down plastics offers potential for biological remediation of polyurethane waste, which is widely used in construction, furniture, and automotive applications.

2024 Environmental research
Article Tier 2

Screening putative polyester polyurethane degrading enzymes with semi-automated cell-free expression and nitrophenyl probes

Researchers used a rapid lab technique called cell-free expression to screen enzymes that might break down polyester polyurethane plastics, sourcing the enzymes from bacteria found growing on aircraft and vehicle surfaces. They identified 10 enzymes with measurable plastic-degrading activity, though none performed as well as an established plastic-eating enzyme. This work advances the search for biological tools that could help break down microplastic pollution in the environment.

2024 Synthetic Biology 11 citations
Article Tier 2

A sequence- and structure-based characterization of microbial enzymes identifies P. stutzeri as a plastic-degrading species

Researchers characterized microbial enzymes with potential plastic-degrading capabilities, focusing on PETase and MHETase enzyme systems. The study identified Pseudomonas stutzeri as a species with notable plastic degradation potential, contributing to the growing understanding of biological approaches for addressing plastic pollution through enzymatic bioremediation.

2024 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Cell-free expression for enzyme discovery: Screening putative polyester polyurethane degrading enzymes with semi-automated cell free expression and nitrophenyl probes

Researchers used cell-free expression technology to rapidly screen bacterial enzymes for their ability to break down polyurethane plastics. Enzymes from biofilms found on aircraft were tested, identifying candidates that could potentially be developed for biodegradation of plastic pollution.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

An archaeal lid-containing feruloyl-esterase degrades polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

This study identified the first archaeal enzyme capable of degrading PET plastic, characterizing its structure and biochemical properties. Expanding the diversity of organisms with PET-degrading enzymes could accelerate the development of biological strategies for breaking down the microplastics contaminating marine and terrestrial environments.

2023
Article Tier 2

Bioprospecting for polyesterase activity relevant for PET degradation in marine Enterobacterales isolates

Researchers screened marine Enterobacterales isolates for polyesterase activity capable of degrading PET plastic, identifying bacterial strains from marine environments as candidates for bioremediation strategies targeting one of the world's most problematic plastic pollutants.

2023 AIMS Microbiology 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Isolation of a soil bacterium for remediation of polyurethane and low-density polyethylene: a promising tool towards sustainable cleanup of the environment.

A soil bacterium tentatively classified in the Pseudomonas genus was found to biodegrade both polyurethane and low-density polyethylene plastics. The discovery of a single bacterial strain capable of degrading two different types of plastic is a step toward developing practical microbial tools for plastic waste remediation.

2021 3 Biotech
Article Tier 2

Identification of BgP, a Cutinase-Like Polyesterase From a Deep-Sea Sponge-Derived Actinobacterium

Researchers identified BgP, a cutinase-like polyesterase enzyme from a deep-sea sponge-derived actinobacterium, which can hydrolyze synthetic polyesters including PET plastic, highlighting marine bacteria as a promising source of plastic-degrading enzymes.

2022 Frontiers in Microbiology 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial enzymes for the recycling of recalcitrant petroleum‐based plastics: how far are we?

This review examines the progress in identifying microbial enzymes capable of breaking down petroleum-based plastics like polyethylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, and PET. Researchers highlight recent advances in using polyester-degrading enzymes to recover raw materials from PET waste through biocatalytic recycling. The study discusses the potential and remaining challenges of using biological approaches to address the growing global problem of plastic waste accumulation.

2017 Microbial Biotechnology 788 citations
Article Tier 2

Evidence of Plastic Degrading Bacteria in Aquatic Environment

This review examines evidence for plastic-degrading bacteria in aquatic environments, summarizing identified microorganisms and their enzymatic mechanisms capable of breaking down plastic materials, and discussing the potential application of these organisms in bioremediation of plastic pollution.

2022 Journal of Biological and Allied Health Sciences
Article Tier 2

Enrichment of native plastic‐associated biofilm communities to enhance polyester degrading activity

Researchers found that expanded polystyrene promotes high levels of bacterial biofilm formation and demonstrated that native plastic-associated microbial communities from environmental waste can be enriched to enhance polyester-degrading activity, offering potential for biological plastic remediation.

2023 Environmental Microbiology 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial and Enzymatic Biodegradation of Polyurethane: From Depolymerization to Monomer Valorization

A review covered microbial and enzymatic degradation of polyurethane, summarizing the microorganisms and enzymes capable of breaking down this widely used plastic. Identifying effective biodegradation pathways is key to developing biological solutions for polyurethane waste management.

2025 Biotechnology Journal 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization and engineering of plastic-degrading polyesterases jmPE13 and jmPE14 from Pseudomonas bacterium

Two new plastic-degrading polyesterases, jmPE13 and jmPE14, were characterized and engineered from Pseudomonas strains to improve their efficiency in hydrolyzing polyester plastics. The study aimed to develop higher-performance biocatalysts for the enzymatic upcycling of plastic waste.

2024 Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization and engineering of a plastic-degrading aromatic polyesterase

Researchers characterized and engineered an aromatic polyesterase enzyme capable of degrading plastic polymers, improving its activity through protein engineering and demonstrating its potential as a tool for biodegradation-based plastic cleanup.

2018 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 1006 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyesterase activities in bacterial isolates from seaweed and sponges, with potential utility in polyethylene terephthalate plastic and nanoparticle hydrolysis

Researchers screened marine bacteria isolated from seaweed and sponges for polyesterase activity and identified lipolytic and polyesterolytic strains with potential utility for hydrolyzing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics and PET nanoparticles. Streptomyces strains from sponges showed notable polyesterase activity relevant to biotechnological plastic degradation applications.

2022 Access Microbiology
Article Tier 2

Marine PET Hydrolase (PET2): Assessment of Terephthalate- and Indole-Based Polyesters Depolymerization

Researchers characterized a marine enzyme (PET2) capable of breaking down PET plastic and related polyester materials under relatively mild conditions. Discovering and engineering enzymes that can degrade PET could help address the massive accumulation of PET microplastics in ocean environments.

2023 Preprints.org 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A Novel Polyester Hydrolase From the Marine Bacterium Pseudomonas aestusnigri – Structural and Functional Insights

Researchers characterized a novel polyester hydrolase from the marine bacterium Pseudomonas aestusnigri and solved its crystal structure, finding the enzyme can degrade PET and other polyesters, offering new insights into marine plastic biodegradation mechanisms.

2020 Frontiers in Microbiology 303 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic-Degrading Microbial Consortia from a Wastewater Treatment Plant

Researchers isolated bacteria from a wastewater treatment plant that can break down common plastics including polyethylene and polystyrene, some of the hardest plastics to recycle. The microbial communities worked together to degrade the plastics more effectively than individual bacterial strains. While biological plastic degradation is still slow compared to the scale of pollution, identifying these bacteria is a step toward developing biotechnology solutions for plastic waste cleanup.

2024 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 12 citations
Article Tier 2

An archaeal lid-containing feruloyl esterase degrades polyethylene terephthalate

Researchers identified the first known archaeal enzyme capable of degrading polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a major plastic pollutant found worldwide. The enzyme, called PET46, comes from a deep-sea archaeon and showed degradation activity on PET comparable to previously known bacterial enzymes. The study expands the known diversity of plastic-degrading enzymes and suggests that organisms from extreme environments may harbor useful tools for addressing plastic pollution.

2023 Communications Chemistry 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Breakthrough in polyurethane bio-recycling: An efficient laccase-mediated system for the degradation of different types of polyurethanes

A laccase-mediated enzymatic system efficiently degraded multiple types of polyurethane plastics in aqueous solution at mild conditions, breaking polymer chains and reducing molecular weight within days, offering a green biotechnology approach to managing polyurethane waste that conventional recycling and chemical degradation struggle to address.

2021 Waste Management 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of PET by the membrane-anchored PET esterase from the marine bacterium Rhodococcus pyridinivorans P23

Researchers identified a membrane-anchored enzyme from the marine bacterium Rhodococcus pyridinivorans that can break down PET plastic. The enzyme, displayed on the cell's surface, not only depolymerizes PET but also hydrolyzes its breakdown products under acidic conditions. The study provides new insight into how marine microorganisms naturally biodegrade plastic pollution, which could inform future bioremediation strategies.

2023 Communications Biology 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Structural, functional, and molecular docking analyses of microbial cutinase enzymes against polyurethane monomers

Researchers performed structural, functional, and molecular docking analyses of microbial cutinase enzymes against polyurethane monomers, identifying promising enzyme candidates for biodegradation of polyurethane plastic waste.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters 28 citations