During the study, the results of which were published in the journal Science Advances, experts carefully examined the larvae of the wax moth Galleria mellonella.
Experts carried out a detailed study of the saliva of these worms using cryo-electron microscopy. 3D reconstruction showed that it contains four groups of hexamers that can oxidize and degrade polyethylene.
These proteins have a unique ability to self-organize into macromolecular complexes that regulate the activity of the decomposition process.
In the future, scientists plan to study the evolutionary processes behind this unusual functionality of the protein. It could be the key to creating new ways to recycle plastic using natural enzymes.
Source: Ferra
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