1 Promiscuous NAD‐dependent dehydrogenases enable efficient bacterial growth on the PET monomer ethylene glycol

ABSTRACT: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most commonly used plastics, utilized in synthetic fibers, water containers, and food packaging. From the 1990s onwards, the demand for PET, and therefore its production, increased exponentially. This increased usage of PET has resulted in a staggering accumulation of undegraded plastic waste. Nearly 80% of the 6300 million tons of plastic waste that had been generated as of 2015 were accumulated in landfills or the natural environment. Moreover, the production of PET relies heavily on non‐renewable fossil fuels, exacerbating environmental concerns over its widespread use. In alignment with principles of environmental sustainability, the biotechnological upcycling of PET has recently emerged as a compelling solution. Since the discovery of PETase, a hydrolase capable of depolymerizing this polyester, enzymatic plastic breakdown is increasingly considered as a promising solution for managing PET waste. This enzyme and its improved derivatives, such as Fast‐PETase, enable the breakdown of PET into bis(2‐41 hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) and mono(2‐hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (MHET). Subsequently, the enzyme MHETase is responsible for further degradation of MHET into ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. The metabolic capability of microorganisms to utilize these monomers of PET for growth has been explored in various biotechnological applications, especially in the context of bioremediation and bioconversion processes aimed at transforming plastic waste into useful products using genetically engineered bacteria.

INSTRUMENT(S):

ORGANISM(S): Paracoccus Denitrificans Sd1

TISSUE(S): Permanent Cell Line Cell

SUBMITTER: Timo Glatter  

LAB HEAD: Timo Glatter

PROVIDER: PXD060720 | Pride | 2025-05-23

REPOSITORIES: Pride