Design of Plastic Binding Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenases via Modular Engineering

The worldwide accumulation of plastic waste in the environment, along with its lifespan of hundreds of years, represents a serious threat to ecosystems. Enzymatic recycling of plastic waste offers a promising solution, but the high chemical inertness and hydrophobicity of plastics pose several challenges to enzymes. In nature, lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) can act at the surface of recalcitrant biopolymers, taking advantage of their solvent-exposed active sites and appended carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs). LPMOs can disrupt the densely packed chains of polysaccharides (e.g., cellulose) by the oxidation of C–H bonds. Given the similarities between these natural and artificial polymers, we aimed here at promoting plastic-binding properties to LPMOs, by swapping their CBM with three natural, surface-active accessory modules displaying different amphipathic properties. The polymer binding capacity of the resulting LPMO chimeras was assessed on a library of synthetic polymers, including polyester, polyamide, and polyolefin substrates. We demonstrated that the plastic binding properties of these engineered LPMOs are polymer-dependent and can be tuned by playing on the nature of the accessory module and reaction conditions. Remarkably, we gained full binding for some chimera LPMOs with striking results for polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). In the long term perspective of harnessing the unique copper chemistry of LPMOs to degrade plastics, we also provided the first evidence of LPMO-dependent modification of the PHA polymer, as supported by enzyme assays, gel permeation chromatography, and scanning electron microscopy. Altogether, our study provides the first roadmap for engineering plastic-binding ability in LPMOs, constituting a crucial first step on the evolutionary path toward efficient interfacial catalysis of plastic-active enzymes.