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From 2012.igem.org

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Overview

The declared aim of our project is to generate a genetically modified micro-organism, which will help us break down polyethylene terephthalate (abbreviated PET, the main component of plastic bags, plastic bottles, etc..), so to make it available as a resource in microbial systems. Additionally during the course of this project the compound should be used to gather further products, such as shikimic acid, aromatic amino acids or co-enzymes. The project has both an environmental economics, and industrial perspective of interest, because PET is not biodegradable and it is as yet no way to recycle it completely. The latter leads to an increasing importance of PET waste as a component of pollution.