User:Emily Hwang/Sandbox1

Introduction

Environmental Issues

Plastic pollution is massive, with 359 million tons of waste annually. PET is the most common, and only 10% is recycled. Most ends up in landfills.

Current Solutions

Enzymes can help degrade PET, but many are unstable above 70°C, the temperature needed for effective breakdown.

Structure

LCC is a monomeric enzyme with 258 amino acids. It has a catalytic triad typical of alpha/beta hydrolases and is significantly more efficient than previous PET-degrading enzymes.