Bioplastic degrading enzymes

The challenge 

Bioplastics, such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates, are rapidly gaining use in the market as alternatives to conventional plastics. These types of plastic can be produced from renewable feedstock and can be used for a variety of applications. However, while these bioplastics can be broken down easily, the degradation rates can be slow and condition-specific, limiting their relevance within a circular economy. 

Our response 

We are designing new variants of bioplastic degrading enzymes to improve their activity and thermostability. Using traditional bioinformatics, rational protein design, and AI-based methods we are developing our library of versions for characterisation and comparison. 

Impact 

We aim to have optimal variants available for different types of bioplastics to apply within a recycling or composting context. These optimal enzymes can bring us closer to building a circular economy.