Owethu Cele
I chose this astonishing hero Ideonella sakaiensis because of its amazing ability to break down something we thought took years to degrade- PLASTIC. It has an awesome super power to eliminate these toxic substances found in our oceans that causes harm and kills our aquatic life. I care about plastic pollution in our oceans and I'm sure you do too, this bacterium is a game-changer in breaking down plastics using special enzyme. Tune in to find out more!
The image shows Ideonella sakaiensis bacteria colonizing a plastic surface, breaking it down using their enzymes PETase and MHETase. These enzymes degrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into smaller molecules, allowing the bacteria to consume and recycle the plastic
Ideonella sakaiensis is a Gram-negative, aerobic bacterium that breaks down PET plastic using the enzymes PETase and MHETase. It converts PET into terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, which it uses for energy. Discovered near a PET recycling plant, it shows potential for plastic biodegradation and pollution reduction.
Ideonella sakaiensis eats up plastic and breaks it down into terephthalic acid (a common chemical in plastics) and ethylene glycol (used in antifreeze), which it uses for energy and growth.
After reading this very interesting article on Ideonella sakaiensis you can find more information on this book above. Enjoy!
