Open AccessThermophilic whole‐cell degradation of polyethylene terephthalate using engineered Clostridium thermocellum
Author(s) -
Yan Fei,
Wei Ren,
Cui Qiu,
Bornscheuer Uwe T.,
Liu YaJun
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
microbial biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.287
H-Index - 74
ISSN - 1751-7915
DOI - 10.1111/1751-7915.13580
Subject(s) - clostridium thermocellum , biodegradation , thermophile , polyethylene terephthalate , mesophile , bioremediation , cutinase , chemistry , pulp and paper industry , waste management , polyhydroxyalkanoates , degradation (telecommunications) , bacteria , food science , microbiology and biotechnology , materials science , cellulase , biology , biochemistry , organic chemistry , hydrolysis , enzyme , composite material , telecommunications , engineering , genetics , computer science
Summary Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a mass‐produced synthetic polyester contributing remarkably to the accumulation of solid plastics waste and plastics pollution in the natural environments. Recently, bioremediation of plastics waste using engineered enzymes has emerged as an eco‐friendly alternative approach for the future plastic circular economy. Here we genetically engineered a thermophilic anaerobic bacterium, Clostridium thermocellum , to enable the secretory expression of a thermophilic cutinase (LCC), which was originally isolated from a plant compost metagenome and can degrade PET at up to 70°C. This engineered whole‐cell biocatalyst allowed a simultaneous high‐level expression of LCC and conspicuous degradation of commercial PET films at 60°C. After 14 days incubation of a batch culture, more than 60% of the initial mass of a PET film (approximately 50 mg) was converted into soluble monomer feedstocks, indicating a markedly higher degradation performance than previously reported whole‐cell‐based PET biodegradation systems using mesophilic bacteria or microalgae. Our findings provide clear evidence that, compared to mesophilic species, thermophilic microbes are a more promising synthetic microbial chassis for developing future biodegradation processes of PET waste.