Ideonella sakaiensis

Ideonella sakaiensis
Scientific classification
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Proteobacteria
Class: Betaproteobacteria
Order: Burkholderiales
Family: Comamonadaceae
Genus: Ideonella
Species: I. sakaiensis
Binomial name
Ideonella sakaiensis
Yoshida et al. 2016[1]

Ideonella sakaiensis is a bacterium from the genus Ideonella and family Comamonadaceae capable of breaking down PET plastic which was isolated from outside a plastic bottle recycling facility.[2]

Discovery

Ideonella sakaiensis was identified in 2016 by a team of researchers led by Kohei Oda of Kyoto Institute of Technology and Kenji Miyamoto of Keio University after collecting samples of PET debris in search for bacteria that relied on the plastic for carbon growth. The bacterium first uses PETase, an enzyme that works with water, to break down the PET plastic. It then breaks it down further using MHETase,[2] another enzyme that further reacts with water to break down the plastics into terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol.[3][2]

Impact

The discovery of Ideonella sakaiensis has potential importance for the recycling process of PET plastics. Prior to its discovery, the only known consumers of PET were a small number of fungi including Pestalotiopsis microspora, and knowledge of the new species has spurred discussion about biodegradation as a method of recycling.[4] The bacterium can currently break down a thin film of PET in a little over six weeks, so it is thought that any prospective applications in mass recycling programs will have to be preceded by enhancement of its abilities through genetic modification.[5]

Characterization

I. sakaiensis is Gram-negative, aerobic, and rod-shaped. It does not form spores. The individual cells of the organism are motile and have a single flagellum. I. sakaiensis tests positive for oxidase and catalase. The bacterium grows at a pH range of 5.5 to 9.0 (optimally 7 to 7.5) and a temperature of 15–42 °C (optimally at 30–37 °C). Through phylogenetic analysis, the species was shown to be affiliated to the genus Ideonella, and also related to Ideonella dechloratans and Ideonella azotifigens, justifying its scientific classification.[6]

Morphology

Colonies of I. sakaiensis are colourless, smooth, and circular.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Yoshida, S.; Hiraga, K.; Takehana, T.; Taniguchi, I.; Yamaji, H.; Maeda, Y.; Toyohara, K.; Miyamoto, K.; Kimura, Y.; Oda, K. (10 March 2016). "A bacterium that degrades and assimilates poly(ethylene terephthalate)". Science. 351 (6278): 1196–1199. Bibcode:2016Sci...351.1196Y. doi:10.1126/science.aad6359.
  2. 1 2 3 Yoshida, Shosuke; Hiraga, Kazumi; Takehana, Toshihiko; Taniguchi, Ikuo; Yamaji, Hironao; Maeda, Yasuhito; Toyohara, Kiyotsuna; Miyamoto, Kenji; Kimura, Yoshiharu (11 March 2016). "A bacterium that degrades and assimilates poly(ethylene terephthalate)". Science. 351 (6278): 1196–1199. Bibcode:2016Sci...351.1196Y. doi:10.1126/science.aad6359. ISSN 1095-9203. PMID 26965627. Lay summary (PDF) (2016-03-30).
  3. ↑ "Ideonella sakaiensis: Newly-Discovered Bacterium Can Break Down, Metabolize Plastic | Biology | Sci-News.com". www.sci-news.com. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  4. ↑ "Plastic-eating bug could clean up the planet". Mail Online. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  5. ↑ Coghlan, Andy. "Bacteria found to eat PET plastics could help do the recycling". New Scientist. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  6. 1 2 Somboon Tanasupawat; Toshihiko Takehana; Shosuke Yoshida; Kazumi Hiraga; Kohei Oda (1 August 2016). "Ideonella sakaiensis sp. nov., isolated from a microbial consortium that degrades poly(ethlyene terephthalate)". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 66 (8): 2813. doi:10.1099/ijsem.0.001058. PMID 27045688. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.