康斯坦茨大学研究团队发现了一种由细菌表面基因编码的酶，能够分解生物塑料1。这种被称为"吃豆人酶"的蛋白质可将长链脂肪族聚酯完全降解，在森林土壤中需要约250至330天才能完成降解过程1。相比之下，传统高密度聚乙烯几乎没有发生降解，纤维素分解则需要约80天1。
研究人员通过电子显微镜观察发现，塑料表面出现了细菌细胞大小的微孔1。更令人意外的是，该酶具有双重活性：除了能够分解聚酯键外，还能够分解青霉素的β-内酰胺环1。这一发现提示这种酶可能与抗生素耐药性问题存在关联1。研究由Harry Lerner和David Schleheck领导的团队完成，相关成果已发表于《ISME期刊》2026年第20卷第1期1。
Researchers at the University of Konstanz have identified a bacterial enzyme capable of breaking down bioplastics, earning it the nickname "Pac-Man enzyme" for its degradative properties. 1 The enzyme, encoded by genes on the bacterial cell surface, can completely decompose long-chain aliphatic polyesters within approximately 250 to 330 days in forest soil conditions. 1 In contrast, traditional high-density polyethylene showed virtually no degradation under the same circumstances, while cellulose required about 80 days to break down. 1
The discovery reveals an unexpected characteristic of this enzyme: it possesses dual biochemical activity. 1 Beyond its ability to cleave polyester bonds, the enzyme can also degrade penicillin's beta-lactam ring, suggesting a potential connection to antibiotic resistance mechanisms. 1 Electron microscopy analysis of the plastic surface revealed microscopic pores approximately the size of bacterial cells, providing visual evidence of the degradation process. 1 The findings were published in ISME Journal in 2026, Volume 20, Issue 1, and were led by researchers Harry Lerner and David Schleheck. 1 Scientists note that the "plastisphere"—the ecological niche created by plastics—represents a novel environment that humans have introduced to the natural world over the past 50 to 75 years. 1
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