TAGS: Biobased Solutions
Researchers at the University of Tübingen have now succeeded for the first time in changing the metabolism of cyanobacteria in such a way that they produce bioplastics, a by-product of photosynthesis, in quantities that enable industrial use. The natural plastic could compete with the environmentally harmful petroleum-based plastic.
The research group, led by Professor Karl Forchhammer from the Interfaculty Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine, presented its results in several studies that appeared in the journals Microbial Cell Factories and PNAS.
Producing Quickly Degradable PHB
Cyanobacteria of the genus Synechocystis produce polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a natural form of plastic. PHB can be used in a similar way to the plastic polypropylene, but is quickly degradable in the environment and free of harmful substances.
However, the amount produced by these bacteria is usually very small. The Tübingen research group succeeded in identifying a protein in the bacteria that restricts the carbon flow in the direction of PHB within the bacterial cell. After removing the corresponding regulator and making other genetic changes, the amount of PHB produced by the bacteria increased enormously and ultimately made up over 80 percent of the total mass of the cell. "
We created real plastic bacteria," says Dr. Moritz Koch, first author of the study published in Microbial Cell Factories.
Since the blue-green bacteria only need water, CO
2 and sunlight, the researchers believe that they are ideal actors of climate-friendly and sustainable production. "Once established in the industry, the entire plastics production could be revolutionized," said Koch. The long-term goal is to optimize the use of bacteria and to scale them so that they can be used on a large scale.
Source: University of Tübingen