Bacteria have been genetically engineered to produce a strong, flexible plastic similar to nylon for the first time. Researchers at Uluu and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology used microbes to create polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) from seaweed, but faced challenges in creating nylon-like plastics. To overcome this, they modified enzyme-coding genes and inserted them into Escherichia coli bacteria.
The resulting bioplastic, called poly(ester amide), or PEA, had physical and thermal properties comparable to those of polyethylene, a widely used commercial plastic. However, experts caution that the plastic is unlikely to be as strong due to the low frequency of amino acid incorporation and potential chain termination.
This breakthrough offers hope for addressing the global crisis of non-degradable plastic waste, which endangers wildlife, human health, and the planet. Researchers say this work demonstrates how biology can help address this issue, with an estimated 400 million tonnes of plastic waste produced annually.
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00819-4