title: An Esterase from Anaerobic Clostridium hathewayi Can Hydrolyze Aliphatic-Aromatic Polyesters.
abstract: Recently, a variety of biodegradable polymers have been developed as alternatives to recalcitrant materials. Although many studies on polyester biodegradability have focused on aerobic environments, there is much less known on biodegradation of polyesters in natural and artificial anaerobic habitats. Consequently, the potential of anaerobic biogas sludge to hydrolyze the synthetic compostable polyester PBAT (poly(butylene adipate-co-butylene terephthalate) was evaluated in this study. On the basis of reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis, accumulation of terephthalic acid (Ta) was observed in all anaerobic batches within the first 14 days. Thereafter, a decline of Ta was observed, which occurred presumably due to consumption by the microbial population. The esterase Chath_Est1 from the anaerobic risk 1 strain Clostridium hathewayi DSM-13479 was found to hydrolyze PBAT. Detailed characterization of this esterase including elucidation of the crystal structure was performed. The crystal structure indicates that Chath_Est1 belongs to the α/β-hydrolases family. This study gives a clear hint that also micro-organisms in anaerobic habitats can degrade manmade PBAT.
authors.affiliation: Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology ACIB , Konrad Lorenz Strasse 20, 3430 Tulln, Austria.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perz
authors.affiliation: Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology ACIB , Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria.|Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz , Humboldtstrasse 50/III, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Altijana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hromic
authors.affiliation: Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology ACIB , Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baumschlager
authors.affiliation: Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology ACIB , Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steinkellner
authors.affiliation: Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology ACIB , Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Tea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pavkov-Keller
authors.affiliation: Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology ACIB , Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria.|Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz , Humboldtstrasse 50/III, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.affiliation: Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology ACIB , Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bleymaier
authors.affiliation: Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology ACIB , Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zitzenbacher
authors.affiliation: Institute of Electron Microscopy and Nanoanalysis, Graz University of Technology , Steyrergasse 17/III, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zankel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Electron Microscopy and Nanoanalysis, Graz University of Technology , Steyrergasse 17/III, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mayrhofer
authors.affiliation: BASF SE , Carl-Bosch-Straße 38, 67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sinkel
authors.affiliation: BASF SE , Carl-Bosch-Straße 38, 67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kueper
authors.affiliation: BASF SE , Carl-Bosch-Straße 38, 67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schlegel
authors.affiliation: Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology ACIB , Konrad Lorenz Strasse 20, 3430 Tulln, Austria.|Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna , Konrad Lorenz Strasse 20, 3430 Tulln, Austria.
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ribitsch
authors.affiliation: Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology ACIB , Konrad Lorenz Strasse 20, 3430 Tulln, Austria.|Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna , Konrad Lorenz Strasse 20, 3430 Tulln, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Guebitz
mesh_terms: D000272:Adipates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003013:Clostridium / Q000201:enzymology*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004950:Esterases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000272:Adipates; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011091:Polyesters; C488797:poly(butylene adipate-co-butylene terephthalate); C029900:adipic acid; D004950:Esterases