Ososayensi bakhuthazwa yiPac-Man futhi basungula i- "cocktail" yokudla epulasitiki, engasiza ekuqedeni udoti wepulasitiki.
Iqukethe ama-enzyme amabili-i-PETase neMHETase ekhiqizwa yigciwane elibizwa nge-Ideonella sakaiensis elidla ngamabhodlela epulasitiki.
Ngokungafani nokuwohloka kwemvelo, okuthatha amakhulu eminyaka, le enzyme enkulu ingaguqula ipulasitiki ibe "izingxenye" zayo zokuqala zingakapheli izinsuku ezimbalwa.
La ma-enzyme amabili asebenza ndawonye, njenge "Pac-Man emibili exhunywe ngentambo" ehlafuna ibhola lokudla okulula.
Le enzyme entsha entsha igaya ipulasitiki amahlandla ayisithupha ngokushesha kune-enzyme yasekuqaleni ye-PETase etholwe ku-2018.
Inhloso yayo i-polyethylene terephthalate (PET), i-thermoplastic ejwayelekile kakhulu esetshenziselwa ukwenza amabhodlela eziphuzo alahlwayo, okokugqoka nokhaphethi, okuvame ukuthatha amakhulu eminyaka ukubola emvelweni.
USolwazi John McGeehan wase-University of Portsmouth utshele i-ejensi yezindaba i-PA ukuthi njengamanje, lezi zinsizakusebenza sizithola emithonjeni yezinsalela ezifana no-oyela negesi yemvelo. Lokhu impela akubambeki.
"Kodwa uma singakwazi ukufaka ama-enzyme ekulahlekeni kwepulasitiki, singakudiliza ngezinsuku ezimbalwa."
Ku-2018, uSolwazi McGeehan nethimba lakhe bakhubeka ngenguquko ye-enzyme ebizwa ngePETase engadiliza ipulasitiki ezinsukwini ezimbalwa nje.
Ocwaningweni lwabo olusha, ithimba locwaningo laxuba i-PETase nenye i-enzyme ebizwa nge-MHETase lathola ukuthi "ukugayeka kwamabhodlela epulasitiki sekucishe kwaphindeka kabili."
Ngemuva kwalokho, abacwaningi basebenzise ubunjiniyela bezakhi zofuzo ukuxhumanisa la ma-enzyme amabili ndawonye elabhoratri, njengokuthi "ukuxhuma ama-Pac-Man amabili ngentambo."
"IPETase izokona ingaphezulu lepulasitiki, kuthi uMHETase aqhubeke nokusika, ngakho-ke bheka ukuthi singakusebenzisa yini ndawonye ukulingisa isimo endalweni, kubukeka kungokwemvelo." USolwazi McGeehan uthe.
"Ukuhlolwa kwethu kokuqala kukhombisile ukuthi basebenza kangcono ngokubambisana, ngakho-ke sinqume ukuzama ukuwaxhuma."
"Sijabule kakhulu ukubona ukuthi i-enzyme yethu entsha ye-chimeric ishesha ngokuphindwe kathathu kune-enzyme ehlukaniswe ngokwemvelo, evula izindlela ezintsha zokuthuthuka okuqhubekayo."
USolwazi McGeehan ubuye wasebenzisa iDiamond Light Source, i-synchrotron etholakala e-Oxfordshire. Isebenzisa i-X-ray enamandla ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyishumi kunelanga njengesibonakhulu, esinamandla anele ukubona ama-athomu ngamanye.
Lokhu kuvumele ithimba labacwaningi ukuthi linqume ukwakheka kobukhulu be-enzyme ye-MHETase futhi libanikeze uhlelo lwamangqamuzana ukuze baqale ukuklama uhlelo lwe-enzyme olusheshayo.
Ngaphezu kwe-PET, le enzyme enkulu ingasetshenziselwa i-PEF (i-polyethylene furanate), i-bioplastic esekwe kushukela esetshenziselwa amabhodlela kabhiya, yize ingenakudiliza ezinye izinhlobo zepulasitiki.
Ithimba okwamanje lifuna izindlela zokuqhubeka nokusheshisa inqubo yokubola ukuze ubuchwepheshe busetshenziselwe ukuhweba.
"Ngokushesha senza ama-enzyme, sishesha ukubola oplastikhi, futhi kukhuphuka ukusebenza kwayo kwezohwebo," kusho uSolwazi McGeehan.
Lolu cwaningo lushicilelwe ku-Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
