Two-Step Chemo-Microbial Degradation of Post-Consumer Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Plastic Enabled by a Biomass-Waste Catalyst.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) pollution has significant environmental consequences; thus, new degradation methods must be explored to mitigate this problem. We previously demonstrated that a consortium of three and two species can synergistically degrade PET in culture. The consortium more readily consumes bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET), a byproduct created in PET depolymerization, compared to PET, and can fully convert BHET into metabolically usable monomers, namely terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG).

Microbial Consortia and Mixed Plastic Waste: Pangenomic Analysis Reveals Potential for Degradation of Multiple Plastic Types via Previously Identified PET Degrading Bacteria.

The global utilization of single-use, non-biodegradable plastics, such as bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), has contributed to catastrophic levels of plastic pollution. Fortunately, microbial communities are adapting to assimilate plastic waste. Previously, our work showed a full consortium of five bacteria capable of synergistically degrading PET.

Environmental Consortium Containing and Species Synergistically Degrades Polyethylene Terephthalate Plastic.

Plastics, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from water bottles, are polluting our oceans, cities, and soils. While a number of species have been described that degrade aliphatic polyesters, such as polyethylene (PE) and polyurethane (PUR), few from this genus that degrade the semiaromatic polymer PET have been reported. In this study, plastic-degrading bacteria were isolated from petroleum-polluted soils and screened for lipase activity that has been associated with PET degradation.

phage kills enteroaggregative without human microbiome dysbiosis.

Bacteriophage therapy can be developed to target emerging diarrhoeal pathogens, but doing so in the absence of microbiome disruption, which occurs with antibiotic treatment, has not been established. Identify a therapeutic bacteriophage that kills diarrhoeagenic enteroaggregative (EAEC) while leaving the human microbiome intact. Phages from wastewater in Portland, OR, USA were screened for bacteriolytic activity by overlay assay.

Draft Genome Sequences of Five Environmental Bacterial Isolates That Degrade Polyethylene Terephthalate Plastic.

Here, we report the annotated draft genome sequences of three spp. and two spp. that, as consortia, degrade polyethylene terephthalate plastic.