Rafael García Meseguer (Theoretical Chemistry Group, ICMol) has been awarded the José Elguero Bertolini Prize in the postdoctoral category. This award is part of the VI Call “Award for outstanding articles in the area of Chemistry and Computation”, organized by the Specialized Group of Chemistry and Computation (GEQC) of the Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry (RSEQ).
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a type of polyester plastic widely used in the manufacture of clothing and packaging, although it is also one of the most discarded plastics after a single use. The decomposition of PET by enzymes has generated great interest, especially after the discovery of PETase enzymes, capable of degrading this plastic. One of the most effective for this task is FAST-PETase, although the reason for its high efficiency is not yet fully understood.
The study, using computer simulations, revealed that FAST-PETase has a lower energy barrier in its decomposition process compared to PETase, which facilitates plastic degradation. This improvement is mainly attributed to a specific mutation that alters the structure and characteristics of the enzyme's active site, making it more efficient. This significant study was featured on the cover of the journal JACS.
This award highlights not only García Meseguer's excellence in the field of chemistry and computation, but also ICMol's commitment to cutting-edge research and scientific innovation. The GEQC Governing Board has warmly congratulated all the nominations submitted, underlining the high quality of the papers received.