Tiny atomic tweak makes plastic-eating enzymes more powerful
A new approach that changes just one atom in plastic-degrading enzymes could help make them more efficient while maintaining their stability, according to new research from The Australian National University published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
Researchers from The Australian National University have discovered that altering just one atom in plastic-degrading enzymes can significantly boost their efficiency in breaking down polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the most commonly used plastic worldwide, without sacrificing their stability. According to Dr. Elwy Abdelkader, the lead author of the study published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, this precise single-atom modification could overcome a major hurdle in enzyme engineering.
Traditional methods of enzyme engineering often result in a trade-off between activity and stability; improving one aspect tends to compromise the other. However, the new approach introduces noncanonical amino acids called azatryptophans, which closely resemble the natural tryptophan but with a carbon-hydrogen group replaced by a nitrogen atom.
This targeted change was found to make PET-degrading enzymes (PETases) nearly twice as effective at breaking down PET while maintaining their thermal stability. Co-author Professor Thomas Huber noted that the method could be applied not only to plastic recycling but also to various other applications in sustainable manufacturing, biotechnology, and medicine.
The team also developed a rapid fluorescence-based test called PETra, which measures enzyme activity in just minutes, significantly speeding up the process of screening potential enzyme variants.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
