Found a bacterium capable to degrade PET.
03/15/2016
Researchers from Kyoto University have found a novel bacterium, Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6, which is able to use PET as its major energy and carbon source. This strain produces two enzymes capable of hydrolyzing PET and the reaction intermediate, mono(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalic acid. Both enzymes are required to enzymatically convert PET efficiently into its two benign monomers, terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. |