title: Microbial degradation of poly(amino acid)s.
abstract: Natural poly(amino acid)s are a group of poly(ionic) molecules (ionomers) with various biological functions and putative technical applications and play, therefore, an important role both in nature and in human life. Because of their biocompatibility and their synthesis from renewable resources, poly(amino acid)s may be employed for many different purposes covering a broad spectrum of medical, pharmaceutical, and personal care applications as well as the domains of agriculture and of environmental applications. Biodegradability is one important advantage of naturally occurring poly(amino acid)s over many synthetic polymers. The intention of this review is to give an overview about the enzyme systems catalyzing the initial steps in poly(amino acid) degradation. The focus is on the naturally occurring poly(amino acid)s cyanophycin, poly(epsilon-L-lysine) and poly(gamma-glutamic acid); but biodegradation of structurally related synthetic polyamides such as poly(aspartic acid) and nylons, which are known from various technical applications, is also included.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Molekulare Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Corrensstrasse 3, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Obst
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinbüchel
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009757:Nylons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011107:Polylysine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D009757:Nylons; D010455:Peptides; D010940:Plant Proteins; C024250:cyanophycin; D011107:Polylysine; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid; C017645:polyaspartate