Protease Variants with Enhanced Polyester and PLA Degrading Activity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current proteases used for degrading polylactic acid (PLA) and other polyester materials have limited efficiency, necessitating the development of variants with enhanced activity to improve biodegradable plastic production and recycling processes.
Innovation Solution
Development of protease variants with specific amino acid substitutions, such as S103F, which exhibit increased polyester degrading activity compared to their parent proteases, while maintaining thermostability, allowing for efficient degradation of PLA and other polyesters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If current proteases are used for degrading polyester and PLA, then the degradation process can proceed, but the degrading activity is limited and efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying amino acid residues at specific positions (101, 102, 103, 106, 131, 217) in the protease sequence to create variants with enhanced polyester degrading activity. These sequence modifications alter the enzyme's catalytic properties, resulting in significantly improved degradation efficiency compared to the parent protease.
2Productivity
If protease variants with enhanced activity are developed, then degradation efficiency improves, but the complexity of enzyme development increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making targeted amino acid substitutions at specific positions (101, 102, 103, 106, 131, 217) rather than random modifications. This focused approach allows for systematic development of variants with enhanced activity while maintaining a manageable complexity through rational design based on identified critical residues.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The protease variants demonstrate enhanced degrading activity, with specific degrading activity rates up to several hundred percent higher than the parent proteases, effectively addressing the inefficiencies in existing biodegradation processes and supporting more efficient recycling of PLA and other polyesters.
Implementation Method 1
Proteases are able to catalyze the hydrolysis of a variety of polymers, including polyesters
Implementation Method 2
enzymes are able to accelerate hydrolysis of polyester containing material
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to novel proteases, more particularly to protease variants having improved activity compared to the protease of SEQ ID NO: 1 and the uses thereof for degrading polyester containing material, such as plastic products. The proteases of the invention are particularly suited to degrade polylactic acid, and material containing polylactic acid.