A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Plastic-degrading clusters of orthologous groups reveal near-universal biodegradation potential in prokaryotes
Authors: Mustari, Shakira; Phạm, Loan Tú; Saikkonen, Kari; Nakamura, Miho; Puigbò, Pere
Publisher: Elsevier
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Environmental Technology and Innovation
Article number: 104872
Volume: 42
eISSN: 2352-1864
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2026.104872
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2026.104872
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/523418123
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
Micro- and nanoplastic pollution (MNPP) is an increasing environmental threat due to the persistence, dispersal, and potential toxicity of plastic particles. Although microbial biodegradation offers a sustainable mitigation strategy, a comprehensive understanding of plastic-degrading proteins across microbial taxa is lacking. Here, we present the Plastic-Degrading Clusters of Orthologous Groups (PDCOGs) database (https://phylobone.com/microworld/PDCOG), comprising 625,616 potential plastic-degrading proteins (PPDPs) from free-living prokaryotes organized into 51 orthologous groups. The database/PDCOGs enable systematic analysis of microbial plastic-degrading capacity across ecosystems and phylogenetic lineages. Notably, PPDPs constitute ∼3.5% of all prokaryotic proteins, with over 95% of the species having the potential to biodegrade at least one plastic polymer type. This resource provides a genomic tool/framework for exploring the ecological and evolutionary importance of plastic biodegradation and supports future efforts to mitigate the global MNPP crisis.
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Funding information in the publication:
Scandinavian-Japan Sasakawa foundation (GA25-FUB-0132). PP is a Serra Húnter Professor in the public university system of Catalonia.