Bacterial enzyme structure reveals new path for renewable plastic

Bacterial enzyme structure reveals new path for renewable plastic

Current demand for plastics and chemical raw materials is met through large-scale production of ethylene from fossil fuels. This makes it necessary to search for new, renewable processes. Using bacterial enzymes as catalysts could be the key, but only a few naturally occurring enzymes have the ability to form ethylene. These enzymes typically require energy-rich substrates and produce CO₂ as a by-product.