Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42509484›Full record

ArticleNature biotechnology2026

Engineered polyketide synthases enable a microbial chassis for recyclable plastics with tunable properties.

Zilong Wang, Seokjung Cheong, Hai Wang, Jeremy Demarteau, Alexander R Epstein, Baishakhi Bose, Weixi Hu, Matthias Schmidt, Leah Keiser, Mei Zhao and 19 more

Erratum issuedAbstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature biotechnology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

29 authors.

Zilong WangQB3 Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4414-9494
Seokjung CheongQB3 Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Hai WangThe Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1215-2613
Jeremy DemarteauThe Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0311-3575
Alexander R EpsteinDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9914-2388
Baishakhi BoseBiological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6309-0088
Weixi HuJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.
Matthias SchmidtQB3 Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3363-4777
Leah KeiserJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-1098-655X
Mei ZhaoDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Beibei GeDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Alberto A NavaDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Ramu KakumanuJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.
Edward E K BaidooJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.
Yan ChenJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1125-313X
Christopher J PetzoldJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8270-5228
Yifan GuoJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-2966-7138
Nawa Raj BaralJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0942-9183
Nemi VoraJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.
Sarah L NordahlEnergy Analysis Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Yuzhong LiuQB3 Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5614-1951
Rithwik GhantaDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Pablo Cruz-MoralesJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6751-8897
Kevin YinJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.
Robert W HaushalterJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.
Kristin A PerssonDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2495-5509
Corinne D ScownJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2078-1126
Brett A HelmsJoint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3925-4174
Jay D KeaslingQB3 Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA. keasling@berkeley.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4170-6088

Funding

DOE | Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy | Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) 1916-1597
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Plastics derived from fossil feedstocks pose major recycling challenges, particularly crosslinked thermosets used in electronics, construction and composites. Polydiketoenamines (PDKs) are recyclable alternatives; however, monomers such as dimedone are petrochemical-derived and offer limited tunability. We computationally screened 144 β-keto-δ-lactones (BKDLs), identifying solvation free energy as the primary determinant of depolymerization temperature across a 20-60 °C range. We engineered hybrid type I polyketide synthases (PKSs) in Escherichia coli and Streptomyces hosts to biosynthesize BKDLs with diverse substituents and defined stereochemistry, reaching titers of 1.84 g L

Identifiers

PMID42509484

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.