strains to biodegrade LDPE was tested for a period of 30 days under a submerged
fermentation utilizing weight determination techniques, and it was discovered that
Bacillus sp. isolated from petroleum soil possess the capability to degrade plastic up
to 23% while Fusrium spp. could biodegrade plastic up to 44%. It was discovered
that it takes 120 days for the bacteria to biodegrade the plastic while it takes 75 days
for the fungi to biodegrade plastic during the period of the experiment.
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) has been recognized as one of the greatest synthetic
polymers that build up in the environment at overwhelming rate as unwanted
packaging and textiles. It has been observed that the utilization of poly(ethylene
terephthalate) had several limitations which might be linked to its high resistance to
biodegradation. In view of the aforementioned, Austina et al. (2018) isolated a new
bacterium Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6 that possess the capability to utilize poly
(ethylene terephthalate) as energy and carbon sources. It was discovered that this
strain possess that potential to secrete PETase (PET-digesting enzyme). Their study
indicated that 0.92 Å resolution X-ray crystal structure of PETase which showed the
common features to lipase and cutinase. It was established that PETase preserves the
inherited α/β-hydrolase fold but displays a more open active-site cleft when compared to homologous cutinases. The narrowing of the binding cleft through the
application of mutation of two active-site residues to preserved amino acids in
cutinases, we amazingly perceive enhanced PET degradation, portentous that
PETase is not completely improved for crystalline PET degradation, regardless of
apparently surfacing in a PET-rich environment. Furthermore, the authors showed
that PETase degrades which is another polyethylene-2,5-furandicarboxylate which
is another semiaromatic polyester which has been recognized as a new bioderived
polyethylene-2,5-furandicarboxylate replacement with enhanced barrier properties.
Conversely, PETase does not possess the capability to biodegrade aliphatic polyesters which shows that it is aromatic polyesterase. Their study indicated that
incorporation of protein engineering to enhance PETase activity is accurate and
acme the requisite for supplementary growths of structure/activity associations for
the biodegradation of synthetic polyesters.
Unresponsiveness and the undiscriminating utilization of chemical polymer has
been identified as a factor that constitutes water and land pollution. The application
of plastic has been identified in various utilization such as household practices,
packaging industries, agriculture. It has been recognized that the indiscriminate
application of chemical polymers has led to build up of solid waste in natural
environment. This has constitutes several hazards to human and environment. This
might be linked to the poor biodegradation of plastic. In view of the aforementioned,
Pathak and Navneet (2017) wrote a comprehensive review on the application of
microorganisms that possess that capability to biodegrade plastic and synthetic
polymers. The authors also shed light of the potential of bacterial and fungal isolates
for the biodegradation of plastic. Some of the highlighted strain includes Mucor
rouxii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus, Pseudomonas stutzeri,
Fusarium lini, Clostridium thermocellum, Streptomyces badius, Aspergillus flavus,
Rhodococcus ruber, Aspergillus niger, Comamonas acidovorans, and Butyrivibrio
fibrisolvens.
14 Plastic-Eating Microorganisms: Recent Biotechnological Techniques for Recycling. . . 359
fermentation utilizing weight determination techniques, and it was discovered that
Bacillus sp. isolated from petroleum soil possess the capability to degrade plastic up
to 23% while Fusrium spp. could biodegrade plastic up to 44%. It was discovered
that it takes 120 days for the bacteria to biodegrade the plastic while it takes 75 days
for the fungi to biodegrade plastic during the period of the experiment.
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) has been recognized as one of the greatest synthetic
polymers that build up in the environment at overwhelming rate as unwanted
packaging and textiles. It has been observed that the utilization of poly(ethylene
terephthalate) had several limitations which might be linked to its high resistance to
biodegradation. In view of the aforementioned, Austina et al. (2018) isolated a new
bacterium Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6 that possess the capability to utilize poly
(ethylene terephthalate) as energy and carbon sources. It was discovered that this
strain possess that potential to secrete PETase (PET-digesting enzyme). Their study
indicated that 0.92 Å resolution X-ray crystal structure of PETase which showed the
common features to lipase and cutinase. It was established that PETase preserves the
inherited α/β-hydrolase fold but displays a more open active-site cleft when compared to homologous cutinases. The narrowing of the binding cleft through the
application of mutation of two active-site residues to preserved amino acids in
cutinases, we amazingly perceive enhanced PET degradation, portentous that
PETase is not completely improved for crystalline PET degradation, regardless of
apparently surfacing in a PET-rich environment. Furthermore, the authors showed
that PETase degrades which is another polyethylene-2,5-furandicarboxylate which
is another semiaromatic polyester which has been recognized as a new bioderived
polyethylene-2,5-furandicarboxylate replacement with enhanced barrier properties.
Conversely, PETase does not possess the capability to biodegrade aliphatic polyesters which shows that it is aromatic polyesterase. Their study indicated that
incorporation of protein engineering to enhance PETase activity is accurate and
acme the requisite for supplementary growths of structure/activity associations for
the biodegradation of synthetic polyesters.
Unresponsiveness and the undiscriminating utilization of chemical polymer has
been identified as a factor that constitutes water and land pollution. The application
of plastic has been identified in various utilization such as household practices,
packaging industries, agriculture. It has been recognized that the indiscriminate
application of chemical polymers has led to build up of solid waste in natural
environment. This has constitutes several hazards to human and environment. This
might be linked to the poor biodegradation of plastic. In view of the aforementioned,
Pathak and Navneet (2017) wrote a comprehensive review on the application of
microorganisms that possess that capability to biodegrade plastic and synthetic
polymers. The authors also shed light of the potential of bacterial and fungal isolates
for the biodegradation of plastic. Some of the highlighted strain includes Mucor
rouxii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus, Pseudomonas stutzeri,
Fusarium lini, Clostridium thermocellum, Streptomyces badius, Aspergillus flavus,
Rhodococcus ruber, Aspergillus niger, Comamonas acidovorans, and Butyrivibrio
fibrisolvens.
14 Plastic-Eating Microorganisms: Recent Biotechnological Techniques for Recycling. . . 359