bio.fsm.undip.ac.id. Dr.rer.nat Anto Budiharjo, M.Biotech., a lecturer and researcher at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Diponegoro University, has conducted groundbreaking research in his project titled “Project PETase for Environment.” The research aims to discover new enzymes capable of degrading industrial plastics.
In pursuit of this objective, Dr. Anto screened 1900 DNA sequences of PETase genes from a database and performed in-silico protein analysis. Out of the 1900 genes, 19 were synthetically arranged, cloned into plasmids, and then transformed into E. coli BL21 bacteria.
Among the 19 recombinant clones produced, four demonstrated the ability to degrade PET plastic by up to 75% in seven days at a temperature of 60 degrees Celcius. This finding opens up significant potential for the production of microbial PETase capable of efficiently degrading PET plastic.
Dr. Anto Budiharjo explained that his research could make a significant contribution to environmental preservation, particularly in addressing the escalating issue of plastic waste. The successful isolation and characterization of this new PETase enzyme hold promise for innovative solutions to mitigate the negative impact of plastic waste on the environment. The research was conducted by Dr. Anto in collaboration with the French biotechnology startup Wesprant.
This discovery offers new hope for plastic waste management, with the potential to alleviate the burden of plastic pollution in the environment. Consequently, Dr. Anto Budiharjo’s research contributes significantly to global efforts to create environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions.
