New approaches for the characterization of plastic-associated microbial communities and the discovery of plastic-degrading microorganisms and enzymes

Plastics in the environment represent new substrates for microbial colonization, and recent methodological advances allow for in-depth characterization of plastic-associated microbial communities (PAMCs). Over the past several decades, discovery of plastic degrading enzymes (PDEs) and plastic degrading microorganisms (PDMs) has been driven by efforts to understand microbially-mediated plastic degradation in the environment and to discover biocatalysts for plastic processing. In this review, we discuss the evolution of methodology in plastic microbiology and highlight major advancements in the field stemming from computational microbiology. Initial research relied largely on culture-based approaches like clear-zone assays to screen for PDMs and microscopy to characterize PAMCs. New computational tools and sequencing technologies are accelerating discoveries in the field through culture-independent and multi-omic approaches, rapidly generating targets for protein engineering and improving the potential for plastic-waste management. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Research Network of Computational and Structural Biotechnology.

Automated summary

Plastic microbiology has evolved from culture-based approaches to the application of computational tools and sequencing technologies, accelerating research on plastic-associated microbial communities. These advancements have facilitated the discovery of new biocatalysts and improved the potential for plastic waste management.