Actinobacteria as Promising Candidate for Polylactic Acid Type Bioplastic Degradation

Natthicha Butbunchu; Wasu Pathom-Aree

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2019.02834

Actinobacteria as Promising Candidate for Polylactic Acid Type Bioplastic Degradation

Front Microbiol. 2019 Dec 19:10:2834. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02834. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Natthicha Butbunchu^{1

2}, Wasu Pathom-Aree^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Master of Science Program in Applied Microbiology (International Program), Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
² Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
³ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
⁴ Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Abstract

Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the most commercially available and exploited bioplastics worldwide. It is an important renewable polymer for the replacement of petroleum-based plastic materials. They are both biodegradable and bio-based plastic. Microbial degrading activity is a desirable method for environmental safety and economic value for bioplastic waste managements. Members of the phylum actinobacteria are found to play an important role in PLA degradation. Most of the PLA degrading actinobacteria belong to the family Pseudonocardiaceae. Other taxa include members of the family Micromonosporaceae, Streptomycetaceae, Streptosporangiaceae, and Thermomonosporaceae. This mini-review aims to provide an overview on PLA degrading actinobacteria including their diversity and taxonomy, isolation and screening procedures and PLA degrading enzyme production from 1997 to 2019. Consideration is also given to where to sampling and how we might use these beneficial actinobacteria for PLA waste management.

Keywords: PLA-degrading enzyme; actinobacteria; biodegradation; bioplastic; polylactic acid; serine protease.

Publication types

Review