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How can genetically engineered bacteria be used to make biodegradable plastics?

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Vaccine development — genetic engineering The generation of vaccines relies heavily on techniques in genetic engineering.

Genetically engineered bacteria are used to produce bioplastics—renewable, biodegradable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics—by synthesizing polymers within their cells.

Through recombinant DNA technology, scientists modify the genetic code of bacteria to enhance their ability to convert raw materials, such as glucose and organic acids, into plastic compounds like polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) or polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). For example, the bacterium Ralstonia eutropha has been utilized to transform these substrates into flexible polymers.12

By transferring these metabolic pathways into microbes that are easily cultivated in laboratory settings, researchers aim to improve production yields and reduce the high costs associated with commercial manufacturing. These advancements in genetic engineering are essential for scaling up the production of sustainable materials, which can be used for applications ranging from packaging film to medical devices like absorbable surgical sutures.12