Kobe University Engineers Bacteria to Create Biodegradable Plastic Alternative

A team of bioengineers from Kobe University has developed a sustainable alternative to PET plastics by engineering E. coli bacteria to produce pyridinedicarboxylic acid (PDCA) from glucose. The breakthrough, published in Metabolic Engineering, marks a significant step toward creating biodegradable, high-performance plastics that could surpass petroleum-based materials.

The researchers aimed to harness the cellular metabolism of E. coli to assimilate nitrogen and produce PDCA. This strategy allowed the team to produce PDCA at concentrations more than seven times higher than previously reported. The study overcame the long-standing challenges of yield and efficiency that have limited other bio-based plastic alternatives.

The study also addressed a major hurdle in an enzyme bottleneck that produces damaging hydrogen peroxide, and set the stage for large-scale applications. “Our achievement in incorporating enzymes from nitrogen metabolism broadens the spectrum of molecules accessible through microbial synthesis, thus enhancing the potential of bio-manufacturing even further,” said Tanaka Tsutomu, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Engineering.

For more information, read the article from Kobe University.