Nature provides powerful biocatalysts that can be deployed towards developing green polymer chemistry processes. In this context, one of several areas where biocatalysis has strong potential is for polymer recycling and surface modification reactions. Poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, and cellulose acetate, CA, constitute a large volume of polymers employed for textile applications. While they possess desired thermo-mechanical properties, there is often a need to surface modify these fibers to enhance surface hydrophilicity which is desirable to enhance textile properties such as dye-ability and comfort or to attach other molecules that can endow fibers with performance attributes. Furthermore, cutinases are potent hydrolases that can function as mild catalysts for the complete conversion of PET, polysaccharide esters, polyvinyl acetate and other important commodity polymers to their monomeric building blocks (i.e. enzyme-catalyzed plastic recycling). Cutinases are esterases secreted by phytopathogenic fungi that hydrolyze cutin (biopolyester coating found on leaves and fruits) which gives microbes access to interior plant tissues. This paper will discuss recent work in our laboratory towards cutinase: i) redesign, ii) biophysical and biochemical properties and iii) activity towards PET and CA conversion via complete hydrolysis to their corresponding building blocks.

Engineered cutinases for PET and cellulose acetate hydrolysis: Design, structure and properties

254th National Meeting (2017)

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