Linking the Metabolic Activity of Plastic-Degrading Fungi to Their Taxonomy and Evolution
Plastic, a ubiquitous part of our daily lives, has become a global necessity, with annual production exceeding 300 million tons. However, the accumulation of synthetic polymers in our environment poses a pressing global challenge. To address this urgent issue, fungi have emerged as potential agents...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| author | Anusha H. Ekanayaka Namali T. De Silva Entaj Tarafder Xue-Mei Chen Dong-Qin Dai Steven L. Stephenson Suhail Asad Saowaluck Tibpromma Samantha C. Karunarathana |
| author_facet | Anusha H. Ekanayaka Namali T. De Silva Entaj Tarafder Xue-Mei Chen Dong-Qin Dai Steven L. Stephenson Suhail Asad Saowaluck Tibpromma Samantha C. Karunarathana |
| author_sort | Anusha H. Ekanayaka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plastic, a ubiquitous part of our daily lives, has become a global necessity, with annual production exceeding 300 million tons. However, the accumulation of synthetic polymers in our environment poses a pressing global challenge. To address this urgent issue, fungi have emerged as potential agents for plastic degradation. In our previous manuscript, ‘A Review of the Fungi That Degrade Plastic’, we explored the taxonomic placement of plastic-degrading fungi across three main phyla: Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota. In this review, we built upon that foundation and aimed to further explore the taxonomic relationships of these fungi in a comprehensive and detailed manner, leaving no stone unturned. Moreover, we linked metabolic activity and enzyme production of plastic-degrading fungi to their taxonomy and summarized a phylogenetic tree and a detailed table on enzyme production of plastic-degrading fungi presented here. Microbial enzymes are key players in polymer degradation, operating intra-cellularly and extra-cellularly. Fungi, one of the well-studied groups of microbes with respect to plastic degradation, are at the forefront of addressing the global issue of plastic accumulation. Their unique ability to hydrolyze synthetic plastic polymers and produce a wide range of specific enzymes is a testament to their potential. In this review, we gather and synthesize information concerning the metabolic pathways of fungi involved in the degradation of plastics. The manuscript explores the diverse range of specific enzymes that fungi can produce for plastic degradation and the major pathways of plastic metabolism. We provide a listing of 14 fungal enzymes (Esterase, Cutinase, Laccase, Peroxidases, Manganese peroxidase, Lignin peroxidase, Oxidoreductases, Urease, Protease, Lipase, Polyesterase, Dehydrogenase, Serine hydrolase, and PETase) involved in pathways for plastic degradation alongside the relevant fungi known to produce these enzymes. Furthermore, we integrate the fungi’s enzyme-producing capabilities with their taxonomy and phylogeny. Taxonomic and phylogenetic investigations have pinpointed three primary fungal classes (Eurotiomycetes, Sordariomycetes (Ascomycota), and Agaricomycetes (Basidiomycota)) as significant plastic degraders that produce the vital enzymes mentioned earlier. This paper provides a foundational resource for recognizing fungal involvement in the biodegradation of synthetic polymers. It will ultimately advance fungal biotechnology efforts to address the global issue of plastic accumulation in natural environments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e66a6960b58c4caa90eb834b4cb831e5 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj-art-e66a6960b58c4caa90eb834b4cb831e52025-08-20T03:14:41ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2025-05-0111537810.3390/jof11050378Linking the Metabolic Activity of Plastic-Degrading Fungi to Their Taxonomy and EvolutionAnusha H. Ekanayaka0Namali T. De Silva1Entaj Tarafder2Xue-Mei Chen3Dong-Qin Dai4Steven L. Stephenson5Suhail Asad6Saowaluck Tibpromma7Samantha C. Karunarathana8Center for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, College of Biology and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011, ChinaDepartment of Botany, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Colombo 10250, Sri LankaDepartment of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaCenter for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, College of Biology and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011, ChinaCenter for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, College of Biology and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011, ChinaDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USASchool of Tea and Coffee, Pu’er University, Puer 665000, ChinaCenter for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, College of Biology and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011, ChinaCenter for Yunnan Plateau Biological Resources Protection and Utilization, College of Biology and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011, ChinaPlastic, a ubiquitous part of our daily lives, has become a global necessity, with annual production exceeding 300 million tons. However, the accumulation of synthetic polymers in our environment poses a pressing global challenge. To address this urgent issue, fungi have emerged as potential agents for plastic degradation. In our previous manuscript, ‘A Review of the Fungi That Degrade Plastic’, we explored the taxonomic placement of plastic-degrading fungi across three main phyla: Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota. In this review, we built upon that foundation and aimed to further explore the taxonomic relationships of these fungi in a comprehensive and detailed manner, leaving no stone unturned. Moreover, we linked metabolic activity and enzyme production of plastic-degrading fungi to their taxonomy and summarized a phylogenetic tree and a detailed table on enzyme production of plastic-degrading fungi presented here. Microbial enzymes are key players in polymer degradation, operating intra-cellularly and extra-cellularly. Fungi, one of the well-studied groups of microbes with respect to plastic degradation, are at the forefront of addressing the global issue of plastic accumulation. Their unique ability to hydrolyze synthetic plastic polymers and produce a wide range of specific enzymes is a testament to their potential. In this review, we gather and synthesize information concerning the metabolic pathways of fungi involved in the degradation of plastics. The manuscript explores the diverse range of specific enzymes that fungi can produce for plastic degradation and the major pathways of plastic metabolism. We provide a listing of 14 fungal enzymes (Esterase, Cutinase, Laccase, Peroxidases, Manganese peroxidase, Lignin peroxidase, Oxidoreductases, Urease, Protease, Lipase, Polyesterase, Dehydrogenase, Serine hydrolase, and PETase) involved in pathways for plastic degradation alongside the relevant fungi known to produce these enzymes. Furthermore, we integrate the fungi’s enzyme-producing capabilities with their taxonomy and phylogeny. Taxonomic and phylogenetic investigations have pinpointed three primary fungal classes (Eurotiomycetes, Sordariomycetes (Ascomycota), and Agaricomycetes (Basidiomycota)) as significant plastic degraders that produce the vital enzymes mentioned earlier. This paper provides a foundational resource for recognizing fungal involvement in the biodegradation of synthetic polymers. It will ultimately advance fungal biotechnology efforts to address the global issue of plastic accumulation in natural environments.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/5/378depolymerizationenergy sourceenzymesmetabolic by-productsmineralization |
| spellingShingle | Anusha H. Ekanayaka Namali T. De Silva Entaj Tarafder Xue-Mei Chen Dong-Qin Dai Steven L. Stephenson Suhail Asad Saowaluck Tibpromma Samantha C. Karunarathana Linking the Metabolic Activity of Plastic-Degrading Fungi to Their Taxonomy and Evolution Journal of Fungi depolymerization energy source enzymes metabolic by-products mineralization |
| title | Linking the Metabolic Activity of Plastic-Degrading Fungi to Their Taxonomy and Evolution |
| title_full | Linking the Metabolic Activity of Plastic-Degrading Fungi to Their Taxonomy and Evolution |
| title_fullStr | Linking the Metabolic Activity of Plastic-Degrading Fungi to Their Taxonomy and Evolution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Linking the Metabolic Activity of Plastic-Degrading Fungi to Their Taxonomy and Evolution |
| title_short | Linking the Metabolic Activity of Plastic-Degrading Fungi to Their Taxonomy and Evolution |
| title_sort | linking the metabolic activity of plastic degrading fungi to their taxonomy and evolution |
| topic | depolymerization energy source enzymes metabolic by-products mineralization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/5/378 |
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