Authors:

Maggie Schneider Cara Flynn

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About Paper:

The accumulation of synthetic plastics in the environment is becoming an increasingly urgent problem, with levels expected to reach 33 billion tons by 2050 [1]. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS) are two aromatic polymers widely utilized in plastic products, and their resistance to standard hydrolytic or enzymatic degradation makes them an attractive target for bioremediation strategies [2]. While Comamonas species are known to metabolize aromatic compounds such as terephthalic acid (TPA) and benzoate —key degradation products of PET and PS, respectively — the pathway by which Comamonas testosteroni KF-1 metabolizes benzoate remains unknown [3]. Additionally, the accumulation of catechol, a downstream intermediate in one known benzoate degradation pathway, may impose toxicity that limits the ability of the bacterium to metabolize this substrate. In this study, we examined the growth profile of C. testosteroni KF-1 on mixtures of TPA and benzoate using optical density measurements, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to characterize intracellular metabolites. Our results suggest a preferential utilization of TPA over benzoate and reveal evidence of a metabolic switch during co-substrate growth. These findings may be used to inform future approaches to metabolic engineering of the bacterium.

Source:

Northwestern University

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Co-authors:

Maggie Schneider Cara Flynn