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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Towards synthetic PETtrophy: Engineering Pseudomonas putida for concurrent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) monomer metabolism and PET hydrolase expression
ClearDegradation of PET plastic with engineered environmental bacteria
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.
Eco-Microbiology: Discovering Biochemical Enhancers of PET Biodegradation by Piscinibacter sakaiensis
This paper reviews biochemical strategies for enhancing PET biodegradation by microorganisms, focusing on the discovery and engineering of plastic-degrading enzymes. The review highlights recent advances and remaining challenges in scaling up enzymatic plastic degradation for industrial applications.
Using a marine microalga as a chassis for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) degradation
Researchers genetically engineered a marine microalgae to produce enzymes that break down PET plastic (the kind used in bottles and synthetic fibers), demonstrating for the first time that a saltwater microalgae can be used as a biological platform for PET degradation. This proof-of-concept points toward eco-friendly, ocean-based solutions for tackling plastic pollution at its source.
Current Knowledge on Polyethylene Terephthalate Degradation by Genetically Modified Microorganisms
This review covers genetically modified microorganisms engineered to degrade polyethylene terephthalate, examining how bioengineering of enzymes such as PETase and enhanced expression systems can overcome the low biodegradation rates of wild-type microorganisms toward this ubiquitous plastic.
Discovery and rational engineering of PET hydrolase with both mesophilic and thermophilic PET hydrolase properties
Researchers discovered a new enzyme from a soil bacterium that can break down PET plastic — the material in most plastic bottles — at both room temperature and elevated heat, then engineered an improved version that degrades PET powder almost completely within half a day at 55°C. This dual-temperature capability makes it more practical than existing enzymes for industrial-scale plastic recycling and could help address the global PET waste problem.
Enhanced degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics by an engineered Stenotrophomonas pavanii in the presence of biofilm
Scientists engineered a biofilm-forming bacterium to break down PET microplastics (the type found in water bottles and food containers) at room temperature. The engineered bacteria achieved significant PET degradation over 30 days and also worked on other polyester plastics, offering a potential biological solution for cleaning up microplastic pollution in water environments.
Degradation of PET Plastics by Wastewater Bacteria Engineered via Conjugation
Researchers demonstrated a proof-of-concept approach for reducing PET microplastic pollution in wastewater by engineering bacteria in situ via conjugation to express PET-degrading enzymes. The study used a broad-host-range conjugative plasmid to transfer PET hydrolase genes into native wastewater bacterial communities.
Biodegradation of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Microplastics by Baceterial Communities From Activated Sludge
Scientists isolated bacteria from wastewater treatment sludge that can biodegrade PET plastic, used in plastic bottles and food packaging. The bacteria broke down PET microplastics over a 60-day period, pointing toward a potential biological tool for removing plastic contamination from water treatment systems.
Biodegradation of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Microplastics by Baceterial Communities From Activated Sludge
Scientists isolated bacteria from wastewater treatment sludge that can biodegrade PET plastic, used in plastic bottles and food packaging. The bacteria broke down PET microplastics over a 60-day period, pointing toward a potential biological tool for removing plastic contamination from water treatment systems.
Microbial Upcycling of Polyethylene into Recombinant Proteins
Researchers engineered Pseudomonas bacteria to grow using deconstructed polyethylene (a proxy for plastic breakdown products) as their sole carbon source and produce valuable recombinant proteins. This demonstrates a route to converting plastic waste into high-value materials using microbes, potentially reducing the plastic that becomes environmental microplastics.
A novel Bacillus subtilis BPM12 with high bis(2 hydroxyethyl)terephthalate hydrolytic activity efficiently interacts with virgin and mechanically recycled polyethylene terephthalate
Researchers discovered a soil bacterium, Bacillus subtilis BPM12, that can break down PET plastic building blocks at impressively high rates and across a wide range of temperatures and pH levels. The study shows that combining mechanical shredding with biological degradation by this microbe could be a practical route to recycling more PET plastic waste, a major source of environmental microplastics, back into useful chemicals.
Degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics by wastewater bacteria engineered via conjugation
Scientists engineered wastewater bacteria to break down PET plastic, one of the most common microplastic types, by transferring plastic-degrading genes through a natural DNA-sharing process. The modified bacteria could partially degrade a consumer PET product in 5 to 7 days. This proof-of-concept approach could help reduce the amount of microplastics released from wastewater treatment plants into the environment.
Construction of a Heterologous Pathway in Escherichia coli for Terephthalate Assimilation
This study engineered the bacterium Escherichia coli to break down terephthalic acid — one of the two building blocks released when PET plastic is depolymerized — and use it as a carbon source for growth. By introducing a transporter and enzyme cascade, and then applying adaptive laboratory evolution, the team achieved efficient bacterial growth on terephthalic acid alone. This work is relevant to microplastics because it advances biological PET recycling pathways that could divert plastic waste from the environment before it breaks down into microplastics.
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.
Engineering microbial division of labor for plastic upcycling
Scientists engineered a team of two specialized bacteria that work together to break down PET plastic waste and convert it into useful chemicals. This microbial partnership outperformed single-bacteria approaches, especially when dealing with high concentrations of plastic waste. The research demonstrates a promising biological method for recycling plastic pollution into valuable materials rather than letting it accumulate in the environment.
Engineering the mangrove soil microbiome for selection of polyethylene terephthalate-transforming bacterial consortia.
Researchers engineered enrichment cultures from mangrove soil to select bacterial consortia capable of transforming polyethylene terephthalate (PET), finding via metagenome-assembled genomes that PET catabolism was distributed across multiple taxa harbouring putative novel PET-active hydrolases. They also described a novel species, Mangrovimarina plasticivorans, as a key consortium member containing genes for PET monomer metabolism.
A multi-OMIC characterisation of biodegradation and microbial community succession within the PET plastisphere
Researchers performed a multi-omic analysis of bacterial communities colonizing PET plastic in marine environments, identifying microorganisms capable of degrading PET and characterizing the enzymatic pathways involved, advancing understanding of natural plastic biodegradation in ocean systems.
Enzymatic Degradation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Plastics by Bacterial Curli Display PETase
Researchers engineered bacteria to display a PET-degrading enzyme on their surface, creating a reusable biocatalyst capable of breaking down polyethylene terephthalate plastics. The system worked under various conditions, remained stable for at least 30 days, and could even degrade PET microplastics in wastewater and highly crystalline consumer plastic waste. This biological approach offers a promising environmentally friendly alternative for plastic recycling and waste treatment.
Eco-microbiology: discovering biochemical enhancers of PET biodegradation by Piscinibacter sakaiensis
Researchers are working to accelerate the biodegradation of PET plastic by Piscinibacter sakaiensis, a bacterium that naturally evolved to consume this common type of plastic. Using bioactivity screens and degradation tests, they identified a small number of biochemical conditions that more than doubled the PET biodegradation rate. The work provides a foundation for developing a fermentation process that could help address PET plastic pollution at scale.
Biodegradation of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics by Paenibacillus naphthalenovorans PETKKU2: Response surface optimization and genomic evidence for an alternative degradation mechanism
This study identified a soil bacterium, Paenibacillus naphthalenovorans PETKKU2, isolated from a Thai landfill, as capable of degrading PET microplastics and achieving nearly 10% weight loss over 35 days under optimized conditions — through a degradation pathway distinct from the well-known PETase enzyme route. Surface analysis confirmed progressive erosion and chemical changes in the plastic. Discovering new microbial pathways for PET degradation is important for developing biological recycling and remediation strategies for one of the world's most common plastic pollutants.
Breakdown of polyethylene therepthalate microplastics under saltwater conditions using engineered Vibrio natriegens
Scientists engineered a marine bacterium, Vibrio natriegens, to break down PET plastic into its basic chemical building blocks in saltwater conditions at moderate temperatures. The engineered bacteria display enzymes on their cell surface that can depolymerize PET without needing any pretreatment of the plastic. This biological approach could eventually help address ocean microplastic pollution, though significant work remains to scale the technology from the laboratory to real-world applications.
Biodegradation of Microplastic Derived from Poly(ethylene terephthalate) with Bacterial Whole-Cell Biocatalysts
Engineered bacterial whole-cell biocatalysts were used to biodegrade PET microplastics under alkaline conditions, with the strain using PET as a sole carbon source and producing monomers that did not accumulate due to continuous cellular metabolism. The study demonstrates a combined enzymatic-microbial approach that overcomes product inhibition in enzymatic PET degradation.
Development and characterization of a bacterial enzyme cascade reaction system for efficient and stable PET degradation
Scientists engineered a bacterial system that displays plastic-degrading enzymes on the cell surface to efficiently break down PET plastic, achieving a 23% degradation rate of microplastics within 7 days. The system uses E. coli bacteria with specially designed protein fibers that both grip and digest PET fragments. This biotechnology approach could eventually help address the growing problem of microplastic pollution in water and soil environments.
Targeted aggregation of PETase towards surface of Stenotrophomonas pavanii for degradation of PET microplastics
Researchers developed a strategy to target PETase enzyme to the surface of Stenotrophomonas pavanii bacteria, improving the efficiency of in-situ PET microplastic degradation. Surface-displayed PETase showed significantly enhanced PET hydrolysis compared to free enzyme, offering a practical approach to microbial degradation of dispersed PET microplastics in environmental settings.