Comparative biodegradation analysis of three compostable polyesters by a marine microbial community

Biodegradable plastics can be used in applications where the end product cannot be efficiently recycled due to high levels of contaminations, e.g., food or soil. Some of these plastics have a dedicated end of life, such as composting, but their degradation in the marine environment is poorly understood. In this study we showed that marine microbial communities can degrade a range of biodegradable polymers with different physical and chemical properties and use these as a sole carbon source for growth. We have also provided insights into the degradation mechanisms using a combined metagenomic and metaproteomic approach. In addition, we have identified three new enzymes that are capable of degrading both aliphatic polymers and aliphatic-aromatic copolymers, which can be used for biotechnological applications.