Ogunlusi Tolu Sunday, Ikoyo Sylvester Sapele, Dadashipour Mohammad, Gao Hong
School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BA, UK.
National Horizons Centre, Teesside University, Darlington DL1 1HG, UK.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Jul 16;26(14):6797. doi: 10.3390/ijms26146797.
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) pollution represents a significant environmental challenge due to its widespread use and recalcitrant nature. PET-degrading enzymes, particularly PETases (PETase), have emerged as promising biocatalysts for mitigating this problem. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the discovery and heterologous expression of PETase and closely related enzymes. We highlight innovative approaches, such as in silico and AI-based enzyme screening and advanced screening assays. Strategies to enhance enzyme secretion and solubility, such as using signal peptides, fusion tags, chaperone co-expression, cell surface display systems, and membrane permeability modulation, are critically evaluated. Despite considerable progress, challenges remain in achieving industrial-scale production and application. Future research must focus on integrating cutting-edge molecular biology techniques with host-specific optimisation to achieve sustainable and cost-effective solutions for PET biodegradation and recycling. This review aims to provide a foundation for further exploration and innovation in the field of enzymatic plastic degradation.
聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯（PET）污染因其广泛使用和难降解的特性而成为一项重大的环境挑战。PET降解酶，特别是PET水解酶（PETase），已成为缓解这一问题的有前景的生物催化剂。本综述全面概述了PETase及密切相关酶的发现和异源表达方面的最新进展。我们重点介绍了创新方法，如基于计算机和人工智能的酶筛选以及先进的筛选测定。对增强酶分泌和溶解性的策略进行了严格评估，这些策略包括使用信号肽、融合标签、伴侣共表达、细胞表面展示系统和膜通透性调节。尽管取得了相当大的进展，但在实现工业规模生产和应用方面仍存在挑战。未来的研究必须专注于将前沿分子生物学技术与宿主特异性优化相结合，以实现PET生物降解和回收的可持续且具有成本效益的解决方案。本综述旨在为酶促塑料降解领域的进一步探索和创新奠定基础。
