Korean researchers have genetically engineered E. coli bacteria to produce a biodegradable polymer, poly(D-phenyllactate), featuring ring-like structures that enhance its rigidity and thermal stability, making it ideal for biomedical applications such as drug delivery. By creating a novel metabolic pathway, this breakthrough represents a major advance in biomanufacturing and offers a promising solution to the global plastic crisis.

Bacteria-Powered Plastics: A Breakthrough in Thermally Stable and Biodegradable Polymers

Sustainability and Conservation /

In the quest to reduce reliance on petroleum-based plastics, bioengineers worldwide have been experimenting with plastic-producing microbes. Now, a team of researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has…

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