A polyesterase from the Antarctic bacterium Moraxella sp. degrades highly crystalline synthetic polymers

Abstract

The uncontrolled release of plastics in the environment has rendered them ubiquitous around the planet, threatening the wildlife and human health. Biodegradation and valorization of plastics has emerged as an ecofriendly alternative to conventional management techniques. Discovery of novel polymer-degrading enzymes with diversified properties is hence an important task in order to explore different operational conditions for plastic-waste upcycling. In the present study, a barely studied psychrophilic enzyme (MoPE) from the Antractic bacterium Moraxella sp. was heterologously expressed, characterized and its potential in polymer degradation was further investigated. Based on its amino acid composition and structure, MoPE resembled PET-degrading enzymes, sharing features from both mesophilic and thermophilic homologues. MoPE hydrolyzes nonbiodegradable plastics, such as polyethylene terephthalate and polyurethane, as well as biodegradable