Targeted Protease Variants for High-Temperature PLA Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for proteases with improved activity and stability at high temperatures to enhance the efficiency of biodegradable plastic production and recycling processes, particularly for degrading polylactic acid (PLA) plastics.
Innovation Solution
Development of protease variants with specific amino acid substitutions, such as at positions N102, S104, N107, G132, G134, or Y167, exhibiting at least 75% to 99% identity to the parent protease sequence, which show increased polyester degrading activity and stability, especially at temperatures up to 80°C.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wild-type protease is used, then basic polyester degrading activity is provided, but activity and stability at high temperatures are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying specific amino acid residues at positions 102, 104, 107, 132, 134, and 167 of the protease sequence. These biochemical parameter changes in the enzyme structure result in improved thermostability and polyester degrading activity, transforming the wild-type protease into optimized variants that maintain reliability at high temperatures while enhancing productivity.
2Productivity
If protease variants with multiple amino acid substitutions are developed, then polyester degrading activity increases up to 500%, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing targeted amino acid substitutions at specific positions (102, 104, 107, 132, 134, 167) rather than random modifications. This localized approach to enzyme optimization allows achieving up to 500% increase in polyester degrading activity while maintaining manageable process complexity, as only specific critical regions of the protease are modified.
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 polyester degrading activity, with activity increases of up to 500% and improved thermostability, facilitating efficient degradation of PLA plastics and recycling processes.
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 N° 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.