Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Isolation of Native Soil Microorganisms with Potential for Breaking Down Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films Used in Agriculture
Published on: May 10, 2013
Construction of microbial systems for polyethylene terephthalate degradation
Dingkun He1,2, Yichen Gong1,2, Mingzhu Ding1,2
1State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, School of Synthetic Biology and Biomanufacturing, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
None:
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most widely used plastic materials, and its large-scale application has caused severe environmental pollution. Compared to traditional physical and chemical degradation methods, biological degradation is considered the most promising approach. In this context, this review starts with the current research status of PET plastic microbial degradation. Then, it summarizes the construction of strains for heterologous expression of PET-degrading enzymes, the development status of whole-cell catalysts, the innovative ideas of microbial consortia and microorganism-enzyme systems, and the application development of microorganism-functional material systems. In addition, this review includes the use of multiple characterization methods to monitor the degradation effects of PET and changes in strain characteristics, providing theoretical evidence for PET degradation research. Finally, the researches on valorization of PET degradation monomers through synthetic biology are discussed, underscoring the potential of microbial degradation in PET waste upcycling.
More Related Videos
08:14Scalable Step-by-Step Approach of Sustainable Bioplastic Production from Food Waste
Published on: July 18, 2025
16:33Methods for Facilitating Microbial Growth on Pulp Mill Waste Streams and Characterization of the Biodegradation Potential of Cultured Microbes
Published on: December 12, 2013
Related Concept Videos
Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the polymer...
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
Lipid Catabolism
Bioremediation