Abstract 1603 Biocatalytic optimization of a thermophilic esterase and its application for plastic depolymerization

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) based plastics make up 18% of the global plastic production and with their hydrophobic nature and resistance to hydrolysis, PET based plastics are difficult to efficiently recycle. Since the discovery of a PETase in 2016, thermophilic PETases have shown promise as tools for addressing global plastic waste. IS10 is a proposed PETase that was recently isolated from a yet-uncultured Chloroflexota species, has low sequence identity to characterized enzymes, high thermal stability (>70 °C), and variable plastic degrading activity toward PET and polylactic acid (PLA) plastic polymers.