Japanese University Discovers Epsilon-Polylysine Synthetase for Bacterial Production of Bioplastics

The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and Fukui Prefectural University jointly announced on November 12, 2009, that they have successfully extracted epsilon-polylysine synthetase (Pls) from natural microorganisms, a discovery considered to be a major step toward the production of bioplastics. The synthetase is expected to enable a microbial production of tough, flexible and chemical-resistant polyamide plastics.

This achievement came in a study led by Dr. Yoshimitsu Hamano, a lecturer of the Department of Bioscience, Fukui Prefectural University, as part of the industrial technology research programs subsidized by NEDO. In his research, Dr. Hamano has been investigating synthetic processes involving epsilon-polylysine in the actinomycete Streptomyces albulus.

The university plans to pioneer new technologies for producing bioplastics with Pls, as epsilon-polylysine is a natural compound that has the same polyamide structure as synthetic nylon.

Teijin Develops Heat-Resistant Bioplastic (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/026358.html

Posted: 2010/03/12 06:00:15 AM