PETase active site structural analysis

3D Model

The catalytic mechanism of polyethylene terephthalate hydrolase (PETase), the enzyme discovered in a recycling plant in Japan digesting plastic, is illustrated here to show the strcuctural advantages PETase presents over homologous enzymes respective to their ability to digest aromatic polyesters. Variant activity analysis has shown which specific residues are involved in the unique mechanism and how this differs to how other cutinases and hydrolases operate.