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Mubayi V, Ahern CB, Calusinska M, O'Malley MA. Toward a Circular Bioeconomy: Designing Microbes and Polymers for Biodegradation. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:1978-1993. [PMID: 38918080 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Polymer production is rapidly increasing, but there are no large-scale technologies available to effectively mitigate the massive accumulation of these recalcitrant materials. One potential solution is the development of a carbon-neutral polymer life cycle, where microorganisms convert plant biomass to chemicals, which are used to synthesize biodegradable materials that ultimately contribute to the growth of new plants. Realizing a circular carbon life cycle requires the integration of knowledge across microbiology, bioengineering, materials science, and organic chemistry, which itself has hindered large-scale industrial advances. This review addresses the biodegradation status of common synthetic polymers, identifying novel microbes and enzymes capable of metabolizing these recalcitrant materials and engineering approaches to enhance their biodegradation pathways. Design considerations for the next generation of biodegradable polymers are also reviewed, and finally, opportunities to apply findings from lignocellulosic biodegradation to the design and biodegradation of similarly recalcitrant synthetic polymers are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikram Mubayi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Colleen B Ahern
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Magdalena Calusinska
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
- Environmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Michelle A O'Malley
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
- Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), Emeryville, California 94608, United States
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Dar MA, Xie R, Zabed HM, Pawar KD, Dhole NP, Sun J. Current paradigms and future challenges in harnessing gut bacterial symbionts of insects for biodegradation of plastic wastes. INSECT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 38990171 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
The ubiquitous incorporation of plastics into daily life, coupled with inefficient recycling practices, has resulted in the accumulation of millions of metric tons of plastic waste, that poses a serious threat to the Earth's sustainability. Plastic pollution, a global problem, disrupts the ecological balance and endangers various life forms. Efforts to combat plastic pollution are underway, with a promising avenue being biological degradation facilitated by certain insects and their symbiotic gut microorganisms, particularly bacteria. This review consolidates existing knowledge on plastic degradation by insects and their influence on gut microbiota. Additionally, it delves into the potential mechanisms employed by insects in symbiosis with gut bacteria, exploring the bioconversion of waste plastics into value-added biodegradable polymers through mineralization. These insights hold significant promise for the bio-upcycling of plastic waste, opening new horizons for future biomanufacturing of high-value chemicals from plastic-derived compounds. Finally, we weigh the pros and cons of future research endeavors related to the bioprospection of plastic-degrading bacteria from underexplored insect species. We also underscore the importance of bioengineering depolymerases with novel characteristics, aiming for their application in the remediation and valorization of waste plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mudasir A Dar
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
- Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Rongrong Xie
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Hossain M Zabed
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kiran D Pawar
- School of Nanoscience and Biotechnology, Shivaji University, Vidyanagar, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India
| | - Neeraja P Dhole
- Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Jianzhong Sun
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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De Tovar J, Leblay R, Wang Y, Wojcik L, Thibon-Pourret A, Réglier M, Simaan AJ, Le Poul N, Belle C. Copper-oxygen adducts: new trends in characterization and properties towards C-H activation. Chem Sci 2024; 15:10308-10349. [PMID: 38994420 PMCID: PMC11234856 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc01762e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
This review summarizes the latest discoveries in the field of C-H activation by copper monoxygenases and more particularly by their bioinspired systems. This work first describes the recent background on copper-containing enzymes along with additional interpretations about the nature of the active copper-oxygen intermediates. It then focuses on relevant examples of bioinorganic synthetic copper-oxygen intermediates according to their nuclearity (mono to polynuclear). This includes a detailed description of the spectroscopic features of these adducts as well as their reactivity towards the oxidation of recalcitrant Csp3 -H bonds. The last part is devoted to the significant expansion of heterogeneous catalytic systems based on copper-oxygen cores (i.e. within zeolite frameworks).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan De Tovar
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, Département de Chimie Moléculaire Grenoble France
| | - Rébecca Leblay
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, iSm2, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires de Marseille Marseille France
| | - Yongxing Wang
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, iSm2, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires de Marseille Marseille France
| | - Laurianne Wojcik
- Université de Brest, Laboratoire de Chimie, Electrochimie Moléculaires et Chimie Analytique Brest France
| | | | - Marius Réglier
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, iSm2, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires de Marseille Marseille France
| | - A Jalila Simaan
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, iSm2, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires de Marseille Marseille France
| | - Nicolas Le Poul
- Université de Brest, Laboratoire de Chimie, Electrochimie Moléculaires et Chimie Analytique Brest France
| | - Catherine Belle
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, Département de Chimie Moléculaire Grenoble France
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Young R, Ahmed KA, Court L, Castro-Vargas C, Marcora A, Boctor J, Paull C, Wijffels G, Rane R, Edwards O, Walsh T, Pandey G. Improved reference quality genome sequence of the plastic-degrading greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae070. [PMID: 38564250 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Galleria mellonella is a pest of honeybees in many countries because its larvae feed on beeswax. However, G. mellonella larvae can also eat various plastics, including polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene, and therefore, the species is garnering increasing interest as a tool for plastic biodegradation research. This paper presents an improved genome (99.3% completed lepidoptera_odb10 BUSCO; genome mode) for G. mellonella. This 472 Mb genome is in 221 contigs with an N50 of 6.4 Mb and contains 13,604 protein-coding genes. Genes that code for known and putative polyethylene-degrading enzymes and their similarity to proteins found in other Lepidoptera are highlighted. An analysis of secretory proteins more likely to be involved in the plastic catabolic process has also been carried out.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Leon Court
- CSIRO Environment, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
| | | | - Anna Marcora
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Joseph Boctor
- Bioplastics Innovation Hub, Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Cate Paull
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Gene Wijffels
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Rahul Rane
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | | | - Tom Walsh
- CSIRO Environment, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
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Pignataro E, Pini F, Barbanente A, Arnesano F, Palazzo A, Marsano RM. Flying toward a plastic-free world: Can Drosophila serve as a model organism to develop new strategies of plastic waste management? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 914:169942. [PMID: 38199375 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.169942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The last century was dominated by the widespread use of plastics, both in terms of invention and increased usage. The environmental challenge we currently face is not just about reducing plastic usage but finding new ways to manage plastic waste. Recycling is growing but remains a small part of the solution. There is increasing focus on studying organisms and processes that can break down plastics, offering a modern approach to addressing the environmental crisis. Here, we provide an overview of the organisms associated with plastics biodegradation, and we explore the potential of harnessing and integrating their genetic and biochemical features into a single organism, such as Drosophila melanogaster. The remarkable genetic engineering and microbiota manipulation tools available for this organism suggest that multiple features could be amalgamated and modeled in the fruit fly. We outline feasible genetic engineering and gut microbiome engraftment strategies to develop a new class of plastic-degrading organisms and discuss of both the potential benefits and the limitations of developing such engineered Drosophila melanogaster strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Pignataro
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - Francesco Pini
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Barbanente
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - Fabio Arnesano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - Antonio Palazzo
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - René Massimiliano Marsano
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
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