Mussel-inspired sticky bacteria breaks down tough plastic waste faster | Researchers developed adhesive bacteria and proteins that can help break down PET more efficiently, this could be a valuable tool in reducing plastic pollution worldwide.

From the article: Scientists have been actively searching for solutions to tackle the growing problem of plastic waste. Sadly, plastic can take hundreds of years to decompose. As plastic breaks down into smaller pieces, it becomes more difficult to remove and poses a greater risk to wildlife and ecosystems.

[The researchers](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smtd.202400230) harnessed the natural adhesive properties of mussels to develop bioengineered microorganisms that can strongly stick to surfaces.

“Very excitingly, our research holds promise for addressing the growing problem of plastic pollution in the U.S. and across the globe,” said Han Xiao, study leader and an associate professor of chemistry, biosciences, and bioengineering.

Hopefully these bacteria can live in our body and help us out too.