Degradation of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) by a newly isolated Brevundimonas sp. strain MRL-AN1 from soil.

A poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-degrading bacterium designated as strain MRL-AN1 was isolated from soil. The bacterium was identified as Brevundimonas sp. strain MRL-AN1 through biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results confirmed the degradation of PCL by strain MRL-AN1. An extracellular PCL depolymerase was purified to homogeneity by column chromatography and molecular weight was estimated to be approximately 63.49 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. PCL depolymerase could degrade not only PCL but also other aliphatic polyesters. The enzyme was stable at wide range of temperature (20-45°C) and pH (5-9) as well as stable in the presence of various metal ions, surfactants and organic solvents. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride inhibited enzyme activity that indicates this enzyme belongs to the serine hydrolase family. It is concluded from the results that the enzymes from strain MRL-AN1 might be applied in the process of biochemical monomer recycling in the polyester-contaminated environments.
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