Ideonella sakaiensis is a recently discovered bacterium famous for its ability to break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the plastic used in most bottles and packaging.
What it is
Ideonella sakaiensis is a Gram‑negative, aerobic, rod‑shaped bacterium belonging to the genus Ideonella and the family Comamonadaceae. It was first isolated in 2016 from sediment samples collected near a PET‑bottle recycling facility in Sakai City, Japan.
Special feature: PET degradation
This bacterium can use PET as its major carbon and energy source, secreting two key enzymes—PETase and MHETase—that together hydrolyze PET into its monomers (terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol). This makes it one of the very few known organisms capable of actually consuming and mineralizing PET plastic under aerobic conditions.
Basic biology and growth
Ideonella sakaiensis is motile, with a single flagellum, and forms colorless, smooth, circular colonies. It typically measures about 1.2–1.5 µm in length and 0.6–0.8 µm in width, grows best at around 30–37°C and pH 7–7.5, and can be cultured on common media such as nutrient agar.
Why it matters for environment and technology
Because PET is extremely persistent in the environment, I. sakaiensis is being studied intensively for bioremediation and bio‑recycling of plastic waste. Researchers are also engineering its enzymes to work faster and at higher temperatures, with the aim of developing industrial‑scale PET‑degrading processes.
