Volume 10 Issue 1

Preliminary Assessment of Microbial Enzyme Potential for Plastic Degradation: An In-Silico to In-Vitro Investigation

Folarin

Abstract

Plastic pollution remains a global issue due to the increasing production of plastics, which has more than doubled in the last two decades, raising both environmental and health concerns. This preliminary study explored the potential of microbial enzymes in plastic degradation using both in-silico and in-vitro approaches. Molecular docking was employed to evaluate the binding affinities of three enzymes: esterase hydrolase (PDB ID: 3KVN), dehydrogenase oxidoreductase (PDB ID: 4JZ6), and laccase oxidoreductase (PDB ID: 5LM8) with 23 plastic compounds from four major plastic types: polyester, polyolefins, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride. Fourteen of the plastic compounds exhibited strong binding affinities (? –5.0 kcal/mol) with the three enzymes. Notably, 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid (PubChem ID: 14357), a polyester precursor, showed the highest binding affinity with all the enzymes (–7.1, –7.9, and –7.2 kcal/mol, respectively). Microbial isolates (bacteria and fungi) from a local multi-waste dumpsite were screened for their ability to produce laccase and lipase (enzymes relevant to plastic degradation) employing both qualitative and quantitative assays. Positive enzyme activity was indicated by distinct reddish-brown and yellow colorations. Isolates with the highest enzyme activity were identified through molecular characterization as Bacillus pumilus, Staphylococcus cohnii, and Penicillium citrinum. These initial findings suggest that soil microorganisms may harbor enzymes with potential plastic-degrading capabilities. However, further in-vitro studies are required to validate the actual degradation of plastic compounds by these enzymes. This work lays the foundation for future development of enzyme-based biotechnological solutions for plastic waste management.

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