Experimental, Genomic, and Structural Evidence Supporting Putative PET-Hydrolases in Thermophilic Bacteria Isolated From Hot Springs in Cajamarca, Peru.

ABSTRACT: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste represents a major environmental challenge due to limited recycling solutions. Thermophilic bacteria from geothermal environments harbor diverse enzymatic machinery adapted to extreme conditions, offering promising biocatalysts for plastic degradation; however, biological resources from Peru and other South American countries remain scarce. We characterized four bacterial strains isolated from two geothermal sites in Cajamarca, Peru, screened for PET hydrolysis at 50°C. Whole-genome sequencing using hybrid assembly achieved near-complete circular genomes. GTDB-Tk classification identified three species: Neobacillus thermocopriae (strain 19A), Bacillus licheniformis (strains 16P and BI2), and Brevibacillus agri (strain BI8). Quantitative assays reveale

SUBMITTER: Rivera-Jacinto MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC13473705 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature