@article{Banks:2026:10.1016/j.tibtech.2026.06.008,
author = {Banks, AM and Abdulmutalib, U and Wain, B and Sonnendecker, C and Doherty, H and Zhang, Z and Kim, J and Bosomworth, C and Brown, S and Wei, R and Álvarez-Ortega, C and Pomposiello, P and Avignone-Rossa, C and Larrouy-Maumus, G and Zimmermann, W and Jiménez, JI},
doi = {10.1016/j.tibtech.2026.06.008},
journal = {Trends in Biotechnology},
title = {Engineering environmental bacteria for whole-cell PET hydrolysis and assimilation},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2026.06.008},
year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
AB  - Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is one of the most widely used plastics in food and textile applications, yet post-consumer PET waste persists and accumulates in the environment as macro- and microplastics with adverse health and ecological impacts. Although PET-hydrolysing enzymes have been extensively studied in vitro, whole-cell microbial systems capable of using PET as a growth substrate remain limited, particularly for difficult-to-collect waste. Here, we engineer an environmental bacterium to directly assimilate PET. A strain of Pseudomonas umsongensis capable of metabolising the PET monomer terephthalic acid was isolated and engineered to secrete the high-activity PET hydrolase polyester hydrolase Leipzig 7 via a recombinant twin-arginine translocation motif signal peptide. PET bioavailability was further enhanced through solvent-based pretreatment to generate an amorphous, macroporous substrate. The engineered strain demonstrated direct PET utilisation and hydrolysis, supporting self-sustaining microbial growth. Additionally, in non-sterile wastewater the strain survived and hydrolysed PET microplastics, highlighting its potential for bioremediation and sustainable upcycling applications.
AU  - Banks,AM
AU  - Abdulmutalib,U
AU  - Wain,B
AU  - Sonnendecker,C
AU  - Doherty,H
AU  - Zhang,Z
AU  - Kim,J
AU  - Bosomworth,C
AU  - Brown,S
AU  - Wei,R
AU  - Álvarez-Ortega,C
AU  - Pomposiello,P
AU  - Avignone-Rossa,C
AU  - Larrouy-Maumus,G
AU  - Zimmermann,W
AU  - Jiménez,JI
DO  - 10.1016/j.tibtech.2026.06.008
PY  - 2026///
SN  - 0167-7799
TI  - Engineering environmental bacteria for whole-cell PET hydrolysis and assimilation
T2  - Trends in Biotechnology
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2026.06.008
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2026.06.008
ER  - 

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