In collaboration with researchers Haemin Jeong and Jihoon Shin from KRICT, the KAIST team analyzed the properties of the bio-based plastic and found that it exhibited characteristics similar to high-density polyethylene (HDPE). This means that the new plastic is not only eco-friendly but also strong and durable enough to replace conventional plastics.

The engineered strains and strategies developed in this study are expected to be useful not only for producing various polyester amides but also for constructing metabolic pathways for the biosynthesis of other types of polymers.

Professor Sang Yup Lee stated, “This study is the first to demonstrate the possibility of producing polyester amides (plastics) through a renewable bio-based chemical process rather than relying on the petroleum-based chemical industry. We plan to enhance the production yield and efficiency further through continued research.”

The study was published online on March 17, 2025 in the international journal Nature Chemical Biology.

This work is supported by the following projects from the National Research Foundation supported by the Korean Ministry of Science and Information and Communications Technology: ‘Development of next-generation biorefinery platform technologies for leading bio-based chemicals industry project’ (2022M3J5A1056072) and ‘Development of platform technologies of microbial cell factories for the next-generation biorefineries’ (2022M3J5A1056117).