1. Ming Yan Purification and Reengineering of Plastic- Degrading Enzymes

2. Plastic bags are made from polyethylene (PE), a polymer consisting of long chains of the ethylene monomer (C 2 H 4 ). Species of bacteria belonging to the Streptomyces genus are capable of producing polyethylene- degrading enzymes.

3. Streptomyces

4. Streptomyces viridosporus Streptomyces badius Streptomyces setonii

5. How is Biodegradability Measured? Weight loss Tensile strength loss  measured stress at fracture of the specimen Changes in percent elongation  extension of material under load Changes in polyethylene molecular weight distribution  polydispersity

6. Project Ideas Aim 1: To purify and characterize the biodegradable polyethylene-degrading enzyme(s) from bacterium belonging to the Streptomyces species Aim 2: To enhance the biodegradability of the polyethylene by increasing the efficiency of the degrading enzymes through protein engineering techniques

7. Aim 1 Inspiration  Enzymes identified for anaerobic degradation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) Technical Difficulties with the isolation methods

8. Aim 2 To enhance the biodegradability of the polyethylene by increasing the efficiency of the degrading enzymes through protein engineering techniques Methods:  Score system  Protein engineering

9. Protein-Engineering

10. More Ideas