Bacterial enzyme makes new type of biodegradable polymer

The most abundant biopolymers are strings of sugars. The versatile nature of these molecules could eventually lead to the replacement of some plastics. The new type of polysaccharide is similar to the biopolymer chitin, and has been identified by researchers. Drug delivery, tissue engineering and other applications could be possible with the new molecule.

Polysaccharides play a variety of roles in organisms, and they are promising carrier materials for a broad range of therapies. The identity of individual sugar molecule in the chain and how they are linked together make them function in different ways. Depending on the reaction conditions, certain polysaccharides can be cut apart or new ones can be made. Chitin is the major component of arthropods and fungal cell walls. Stephen Withers and colleagues wondered if there were previously unknown, naturally occurring enzymes that could make new types of polysaccharides.

The researchers used activity-based screening and genomic data to identify the Acholeplasma laidlawii, a common contaminant of laboratory cell cultures. The team discovered that they could make a new type of polysaccharide with the expression and purification of the enzyme. The composition of the new biopolymer is similar to that of chitin and a polysaccharide, but its sugar molecule are linked differently. The crystal structure of the phosphorylase was determined by the team. Researchers might be able to target the enzyme to prevent cell cultureContamination with thebacteria, in addition to using the enzyme to make the new biopolymer. The researchers say that Acholetin has wide-ranging potential as a new type of material.

More information: A Synthetic Gene Library Yields a Previously Unknown Glycoside Phosphorylase That Degrades and Assembles Poly-β-1,3-GlcNAc, Completing the Suite of β‑Linked GlcNAc Polysaccharides, ACS Central Science (2022). pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acscentsci.1c01570 Journal information: ACS Central Science Citation: Bacterial enzyme makes new type of biodegradable polymer (2022, March 16) retrieved 17 March 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-03-bacterial-enzyme-biodegradable-polymer.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.