Researcher discovers 1 in 5 bacteria can break down plastic

Some of the world's smallest organisms could play a significant role in solving the problem of plastic pollution. Increasingly, it is being discovered how certain bacteria can break down plastic into small particles, which can then be recycled.

Leiden Ph.D. candidate Jo-Anne Verschoor discovered that nearly 20% of the bacterial strains she studied could degrade plastic, though they needed some encouragement to do so. "Bacteria are just like people," says Verschoor. Her research was published in the journal Communications Biology.

Moreover, Verschoor's research reveals that many more bacteria than previously thought can degrade certain types of plastics. The 27-year-old Leiden microbiologist was able to use a large collection of Streptomyces bacteria, which were already available at the university as scientists use them in the search for new antibiotics.

The biologist, who will complete her Ph.D. next year, made two discoveries. First, she noticed that a remarkable number of bacteria could degrade plastics under the right conditions: as much as 18% of the strains studied. She also discovered that a gene called "Lipase A" plays a significant role. When it was present in large numbers, the organisms broke down plastic more quickly.

Image source: Verschoor et al. (2024), Communications Biology.