A newly discovered 'Pac-Man enzyme' helps bacteria break down biodegradable plastics and also digests penicillin, hinting at a link with antibiotic resistance.
01Summary
- 01University of Konstanz researchers found that biodegradable plastics fully decomposed in forest soil within 250 to 330 days, while high-density polyethylene showed almost no degradation.
- 02The enzyme, named for its wide active site, can break down long-chain aliphatic polyesters and also degrade penicillin.
- 03Electron microscopy revealed holes in the plastic films the size and shape of bacterial cells, suggesting bacteria physically invade the material.
- 04The findings were published in The ISME Journal.
- 05The study buried LCAP bioplastic film in humus at the university's botanical garden and conducted parallel laboratory experiments over a year.
02Why it matters
This matters because it reveals a biological mechanism that could be harnessed to degrade biodegradable plastics more efficiently, but also raises concerns about potential connections between plastic breakdown and antibiotic resistance.
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