Targeting enzymes for plastic degradation

The release of plastics into the environment is having well-documented, harmful effects on much of the Earth's wildlife. Plastic synthesis is also reliant on compounds derived from crude oil and so their use represents a significant sustainability problem. There is, therefore, considerable interest in exploiting biology as a source of enzymes to improve our ability to convert plastics back to monomer building blocks for re-use. Initial studies in this area show promise, but the enzymes identified require further improvements if they are to be exploited in an industrial process.

This studentship seeks to apply some of the lessons learnt from how cellulose, a polymer of glucose, is enzymatically degraded and apply them for the degradation of plastics. The overall aim is to develop small binding reagents known as Affimers as specific plastic binding modules that when appended to enzymes, may enhance their ability to break down plastics. I will investigate this and in so doing learn phage display, molecular biology techniques, and to use structural and biochemical approaches to study the enzymes generated. This project is relevant to provide new insights into how man-made plastics could be more effectively recycled providing a pathway towards a more sustainable economy for the future.