Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics01:28

Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a synthetic polymer widely utilized in the packaging industry, particularly for bottles and containers. Due to its chemical stability and durability, PET accumulates in the environment, contributing significantly to plastic pollution. It comprises repeating units of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, resulting in a semi-crystalline structure that is resistant to natural degradation processes.A notable breakthrough in plastic biodegradation came with the...
Polymer Classification: Architecture01:14

Polymer Classification: Architecture

Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...
Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity01:26

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity

Polymerization generates chiral centers along the entire backbone of a polymer chain. Accordingly, the stereochemistry of the substituent group has a significant effect on polymer properties. Polymers formed from monosubstituted alkene monomers feature chiral carbons at every alternate position in the polymer backbone. Relative to the predominant orientation of substituents at the adjacent chiral carbons, the polymer can exist in three different configurations: isotactic, syndiotactic, and...
Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters01:20

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters

The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
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...
Ligand Binding and Linkage00:49

Ligand Binding and Linkage

Allosteric proteins have more than one ligand binding site; the binding of a ligand to any of these sites influences the binding of ligands to the other sites. When a protein is allosteric, its binding sites are called coupled or linked.  In the case of enzymes, the site that binds to the substrate is known as the active site and the other site is known as the regulatory site. When a ligand binds to the regulatory site, this leads to conformational changes in the protein that can influence the...
Introduction to Mechanisms of Enzyme Catalysis01:13

Introduction to Mechanisms of Enzyme Catalysis

For many years, scientists thought that enzyme-substrate binding took place in a simple "lock-and-key" fashion. This model stated that the enzyme and substrate fit together perfectly in one instantaneous step. However, current research supports a more refined view scientists call induced fit. The induced-fit model expands upon the lock-and-key model by describing a more dynamic interaction between enzyme and substrate. As the enzyme and substrate come together, their interaction causes a mild...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A cell-penetrating peptide Pep-1 fused nanobody Nb24 targeting VP28 inhibits WSSV replication in crayfish Procambarus clarkii.

Fish & shellfish immunology·2026
Same author

Genipin dismantles WSSV's metabolic support system by targeting PC and PEPCK in shrimp.

Fish & shellfish immunology·2026
Same author

There is an "I" in team: individual improvements in supercharged cellulase cocktail facilitates cooperative cellulose degradation.

Biotechnology for biofuels and bioproducts·2026
Same author

There is an "I" in team: individual improvements in supercharged cellulase cocktail facilitates cooperative cellulose degradation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Constrained Diffusion for Protein Design with Hard Structural Constraints.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Temporal Galactose-Manganese Feeding in Fed-Batch and Perfusion Bioreactors Modulates UDP-Galactose Pools for Enhanced mAb Glycosylation Homogeneity.

Biotechnology and bioengineering·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Poly(ethylene glycol) and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation
15:33

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Poly(ethylene glycol) and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation

Published on: October 29, 2013

Supercharged binding modules can modulate engineered poly(ethylene terephthalate) hydrolase thermostability and

Antonio DeChellis, Sumay Trivedi, Lingjun Xie

    Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
    |June 5, 2026
    PubMed
    Summary

    Engineering enzymes for plastic degradation shows promise. A modified PET hydrolase with enhanced thermostability improved Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) breakdown, especially on intact plastic surfaces, offering a new bioremediation strategy.

    More Related Videos

    Synthesis of an Intein-mediated Artificial Protein Hydrogel
    15:06

    Synthesis of an Intein-mediated Artificial Protein Hydrogel

    Published on: January 27, 2014

    Constructing Thioether/Vinyl Sulfide-tethered Helical Peptides Via Photo-induced Thiol-ene/yne Hydrothiolation
    11:09

    Constructing Thioether/Vinyl Sulfide-tethered Helical Peptides Via Photo-induced Thiol-ene/yne Hydrothiolation

    Published on: August 1, 2018

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

    Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Poly(ethylene glycol) and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation
    15:33

    Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Poly(ethylene glycol) and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation

    Published on: October 29, 2013

    Synthesis of an Intein-mediated Artificial Protein Hydrogel
    15:06

    Synthesis of an Intein-mediated Artificial Protein Hydrogel

    Published on: January 27, 2014

    Constructing Thioether/Vinyl Sulfide-tethered Helical Peptides Via Photo-induced Thiol-ene/yne Hydrothiolation
    11:09

    Constructing Thioether/Vinyl Sulfide-tethered Helical Peptides Via Photo-induced Thiol-ene/yne Hydrothiolation

    Published on: August 1, 2018

    Area of Science:

    • Biotechnology
    • Environmental Science
    • Polymer Science

    Background:

    • Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is a persistent plastic pollutant due to its recalcitrant nature.
    • Enzymatic depolymerization offers a sustainable route for PET recycling and bioremediation.
    • Challenges include PET's insolubility, crystallinity, and the limited thermostability of PET hydrolases.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the impact of engineered surface charge on PET hydrolase activity and thermostability.
    • To enhance the degradation efficiency of PET hydrolases for bioremediation applications.
    • To explore the relationship between PET binding affinity and catalytic performance.

    Main Methods:

    • Fusion of electrostatically supercharged PET binding modules (PBMs) to a Cutinase Catalytic Domain (CD) from *Thermobifida fusca*.
    • Characterization of PET binding interactions using pull-down assays.
    • Assessment of hydrolysis activity on milled PET powder and intact PET discs.
    • Thermostability analysis using melting temperature determination.

    Main Results:

    • Positively supercharged PBMs showed stronger binding to negatively charged PET but did not improve hydrolysis.
    • A slightly negatively charged PBM-CD fusion (D2 construct) exhibited comparable activity on milled PET and superior activity on intact PET discs.
    • The D2 construct showed a 10 °C increase in melting temperature, leading to enhanced catalytic persistence.
    • Long-term hydrolysis activity increased 2-fold on milled PET and up to 10-fold on intact PET discs for the D2 construct.

    Conclusions:

    • Enzyme thermostability is a critical factor for functional persistence in PET hydrolysis, more so than binding affinity alone.
    • Engineered PET hydrolases with improved thermostability show significant potential for depolymerizing minimally processed PET feedstocks.
    • This study provides insights into designing robust enzymes for effective plastic bioremediation.