Nathan Crook – Engineering Vibrio natriegens for remediation of PET plastics | Hybrid | GES Colloquium
October 8 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
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Fall Seminar Series
Engineering Vibrio natriegens for remediation of PET plastics
Hybrid | This talk covers our recent efforts to engineer the saltwater microbe Vibrio natriegens to break down PET plastics and eat the breakdown products.
Nathan Crook, PhD
Assistant Professor at NC State University | Profile
Dr. Crook received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 2009, and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014, developing new ways to engineer yeast. He pursued postdoctoral studies in Pathology and Immunology at Washington University in Saint Louis School Medicine from 2014-2017, studying approaches to engineer probiotic microbes. Dr. Crook joined the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at NCSU in January 2018, and one focus of his group is to engineer bacteria to remediate plastic waste. In 2023, his graduate student, Tianyu Li, published a report demonstrating that the seawater microbe Vibrio natriegens could be engineered to break down PET plastics. This work was highlighted by WUNC and CBS 17, and has served as a catalyst for several follow-on projects.
Abstract
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is a highly recyclable plastic material that has been extensively used and manufactured. Like other plastics, PET resists natural degradation and, therefore accumulates in the natural environment. Several recycling strategies have been applied to manage waste PET, but these tend to result in downcycled products that eventually end up in landfills. This accumulation of landfilled PET waste contributes to the formation of microplastics by being broken down into small pieces that pose a serious threat to marine life and ecosystems, and potentially to human health.
To address this issue, our project leverages synthetic biology and metabolic engineering to develop a whole-cell biocatalyst capable of degrading and assimilating waste PET in seawater environments. Specifically, we focus on using the fast-growing, nonpathogenic, moderate halophile Vibrio natriegens to construct this biocatalyst. Our talk will highlight two main processes we implemented in our bacterium: PET depolymerization and metabolism of PET breakdown products. We hope that these efforts will inspire bio-based processes for capture and upcycling of plastic waste, thereby preventing its accumulation in the environment.
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The Genetic Engineering and Society (GES) Colloquium is a seminar series that brings in speakers to present and stimulate discussion on a variety of topics related to existing and proposed biotechnologies and their place within broader societal changes.
GES Colloquium is jointly taught by Drs. Dawn Rodriguez-Ward and Katie Barnhill, who you may contact with any class-specific questions. Colloquium meets weekly on Tuesdays from 12-1 pm via Zoom, with national/international guests joining us remotely, and local in-person guests every other week in the 1911 Building, room 129.
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