'Pac-Man' enzyme breaks down bioplastics and penicillin in laboratory tests
Researchers at the University of Konstanz have discovered a 'Pac-Man' enzyme capable of breaking down bioplastics and potentially providing bacteria with antibiotic resistance. This finding suggests that microorganisms may adapt to plastic degradation faster than previously anticipated.
Why it matters
This discovery could lead to more efficient methods for managing plastic waste, though it also highlights potential evolutionary risks for bacteria.
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source SEM images of LCAP films incubated undisturbed for more than a year in pristine forest soil. Credit: The ISME Journal (2026). DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrag203 In the ocean, plastic waste collects to form large garbage patches that endanger marine life. This is partly because the synthetic plastic polymers used today can only be broken down biologically—that is, by microorganisms—at a very slow rate. Instead, the physical fragmentation of these materials leads to the formation of microplastics and nanoplastics. However, microorganisms do colonize plastic waste in the environment, forming biofilms and creating a unique microbial habitat that researchers refer to as the "plastisphere."
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