A Microbial Platform for Recyclable Plastics with Customizable Properties

Most plastics today are single-use and rarely recycled, resulting in substantial resource and energy waste. This has led to the accumulation of over 6 billion metric tons of plastic waste, causing significant environmental stress. Our study introduces a new biological method for producing specific lactones, crucial for making a new type of recyclable plastic called vitrimers. Vitrimers combine the easy processing of regular plastics with the durability of more robust materials. Unlike traditional durable plastics, vitrimers can be broken down chemically into simpler substances such as lactones and diacids, enhancing their sustainability. Historically, the production of chemicals using microbes has faced limitations due to the narrow range of molecules produced by natural or engineered enzymes. Our technology, which utilizes recombined Type I polyketide synthases (PKSs) and other enzymes, offers a promising method to create a diverse array of lactones, enabling the development of vitrimers with customizable properties, promoting more sustainable material cycles.