Integrated fungi-based processes for the VALorization of plastic wastes through biodegradation and bio-upcycling
Funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) under the “3rd Call for H.F.R.I.’s Research Projects to Support Faculty Members & Researchers” (Project Number: 25829)
Scope of the Project
Mycoval is focused on the discovery of effective, sustainable and environmentally friendly biocatalytic and fermentative methods for the plastics biotreatment.
- Plastic pollution is a growing problem because plastics are very durable and hard to recycle completely. Research has been focusing on alternative ways of degrading plastic, including modification processes mediated by microorganisms and/or their enzymes.
- Fungi are especially promising for this work! They can naturally break down tough plant materials like lignin and suberin, as well as a wide range of synthetic (xenobiotic) polymers, whose properties and structure are similar to those of natural compounds.
Keypoints
Α. Determination of the unexplored plastic-degrading potential of basidiomycetes isolated from Greek habitats
- Despite the great potential of basidiomycetes, the discovery and identification of plastic-degrading strains is still by far underexplored.
- Bioprospecting, in the frame of the exploration and exploitation of fungal diversity for identifying novel basidiomycetes capable of depolymerizing synthetic polymers, is a very promising approach
- Wood-decay and (in general) saprotrophic species that grow on decomposing wood, leaf litter and humus-rich substrates have developed strategies for lignocellulose deconstruction and linear hydrocarbon assimilation; therefore, they very likely accomplish the “unnatural” task of degrading synthetic polymers.
- Greece, belonging to the Mediterranean basin, is the world’s second largest biodiversity hotspot and comprises valuable niches of fungi of interest for bioprospecting.
Β. Employment of -omic approaches for the discovery of novel enzymes involved in the biotransformation process and studies on gene/activity relation.
- Ιnvestigating novel enzymatic activities by taking advantage of the abundant information present on the genomes of fungi, which can be now sequenced and characterized with whole genome approaches and advanced bioinformatic methods combined with proteomic technologies
- Heterologous expression and biochemical characterization of discovered polymer-modifying enzymes
- implementing/employing molecular biology techniques for the heterologous production and characterization of novel enzymatic activities for the degradation/modification of each plastic substrate, considering the synergistic potential with known enzymes
- Not only degradation degradation but also upcycling of plastic wastes!
- Development of novel (or enhanced) myco-based degradation/bioconversion processes aiming at the optimization of plastics degradation and/or the generation of value-added bioactive compounds, such as enzymes and antimicrobial compounds.
