Journal publications

2024

[64] Akram E.; Cao, Y.; Xing, H.; Ding, Y.; Luo, Y.; Wei, R.; Zhang, Y. (2024) On the Temperature Dependence of Enzymatic Degradation of Poly(ethylene terephthalate). Chinese Journal of Catalysis, accepted.

[63] Liu, J.; Xin, K.; Zhang, T.; Wen, Y.; Li, D.; Wei, R.; Zhou, J.; Cui, Z.; Dong, W.; Jiang M. (2024) Identification and Characterization of a Fungal Cutinase-like Enzyme CpCut1 from Cladosporium sp. P7 for Polyurethane Degradation. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, link

[62] Mican, J., Jaradat, D.M.M., Liu, W., Weber, G., Mazurenko, S., Bornscheuer, U.T., Damborsky, J., Wei, R., Bednar, D. (2024) Exploring new galaxies: perspectives on the discovery of novel PET-degrading enzymes, Appl. Catal. B., 342, 123404 link

[61] Xue, R., Qiu, C., Zhou, X., Cheng, Y., Zhang, Z., Zhang, Y., Schröder, U., Bornscheuer, U.T., Dong, W., Wei, R., Jiang, M. (2024) Enzymatic upcycling of PET waste to calcium terephthalate for battery anodes, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 63, e202313633 link ; Enzymatisches Upcycling von PET-Abfällen zu Calcium-Terephthalat für Batterieanoden, Angew. Chem., 136, e202313633, link

2023

[60] Wei, R., Bornscheuer, U.T. (2023) Designer catalytic nanopores meet PET nanoparticles, Nature Catalysis, 6, 1105–1106link

[59] Wu, P., Li, Z., Gao, J., Zhao, Y., Wang, H., Qin, H., Gu, Q., Wei, R., Liu, W., Han, X. (2023) Characterization of a PBAT Degradation Carboxylesterase from Thermobacillus composti KWC4. Catalysts, 13, 340 link

[58] von Haugwitz, G., Donnelly, K., Di Filippo, M., Breite, D., Phippard, M., Schulze, A., Wei, R., Baumann, M., Bornscheuer, U.T. (2023) Synthesis of modified poly(vinyl alcohol)s and their degradation using an enzymatic cascade, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 62, e202216962 link

[57] Liu, J., Zeng, Q., Lei, H., Xin, K., Xu, A., Wei, R., Li, D., Zhou, J., Dong, W., Jiang, M. (2023) Biodegradation of polyester polyurethane by Cladosporium sp. P7: Evaluating its degradation capacity and metabolic pathways. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 448, 130776 link

[56] Branson, Y., Söltl, S., Buchmann, C., Wei, R., Schaffert, L., Badenhorst, C.P.S., Reisky, L., Jäger, G., Bornscheuer, U.T. (2023) Urethanases for the enzymatic hydrolysis of low molecular weight carbamates and the recycling of polyurethanes, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 62, e202216220link

2022

[55] Wu, S., Xiang, C., Zhou, Y., Khan, M.S.H., Liu, W., Feiler, C.G., Wei, R., Weber, G., Höhne, M., Bornscheuer, U.T. (2022) A growth selection for the directed evolution of amine-forming or converting enzymes. Nature Communications 13, 7458 link

[54] von Haugwitz, G., Han, X., Weber, G., Pfaff, L., Li, Q., Wei, H., Gao, J., Methling, K., Ao, Y., Brack, Y., Mican, J., Feiler, C.G., Weiss, M., Bednar, D., Palm, G.J., Lalk, M., Lammers, M., Damborsky, J., Liu, W., Bornscheuer, U.T., Wei, R. (2022) Structural insights into (tere)phthalate-ester hydrolysis by a carboxylesterase and its role in promoting PET depolymerization. ACS Catalysis  12, 15259–15270 link

[53] Tarazona, N.A., Wei, R., Brott, S., Pfaff, L., Bornscheuer, U.T., Lendlein, A. Machatschek, R. (2022) Rapid depolymerization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) thin-films by a dual enzyme system and its impact on material properties. Chem Catalysis  2, 3573-3589 link

[52] Wei, R., Weber, G. (2022) Performance of PET hydrolases with tethered binding modules in large-scale applications. Chem Catalysis  2, 2406-2408 link

[51] Wei, R. (2022) [High-throughput screening assays for PET hydrolases: progress and challenges]. Chinese Journal of Bioprocess Engineering  20, 353-364 link

[50] Li, Z., Zhao, Y., Wu, P., Wang, H., Li, Q., Gao, J., Qin, H.M., Wei, H., Bornscheuer, U.T., Han, X., Wei, R., Liu, W. (2022) Structural insight and engineering of a plastic degrading hydrolase Ple629. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.626, 100-106 link

[49] Pfaff, L., Gao, J., Li, Z., Jäckering, A., Weber, G., Mican, J., Chen, Y., Dong, W., Han, X., Feiler, C., Ao, Y.-F., Badenhorst, C.P.S., Bednar. D., Palm, G.J., Lammers, M., Damborsky, J., Strodel. B., Liu, W., Bornscheuer, U.T., Wei, R. (2022) Multiple substrate binding mode‐guided engineering of a thermophilic PET hydrolase. ACS Catalysis  12, 9790–9800 link

[48] Jiang, Q., Cui, Z., Wei, R., Nie, K., Xu, H., Liu, L. (2022) Feasible Cluster Model Method for Simulating the Redox Potentials of Laccase CueO and Its Variant. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology  10, 957694 link

[47] Meyer-Cifuentes, I.E., Wu, P., Zhao, Y., Liu, W., Neumann-Schaal, M., Pfaff, L., Barys, J., Li, Z., Gao, J., Han, X., Bornscheuer, U.T., Wei, R., Öztürk, B. (2022) Molecular and biochemical differences of the tandem and cold-adapted PET hydrolases Ple628 and Ple629, isolated from a marine microbial consortium. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology  10, 930140 link

[46] Jiménez, D.J., Öztürk, B., Wei, R.,  Bugg, T.D., Amaya Gomez, C.V., Galan, F.S., Castro-Mayorga, J.L., Saldarriaga, J.F., Tarazona, N.A. (2022) Merging Plastics, Microbes, and Enzymes: Highlights from an International Workshop. Applied and Environmental Microbiology  88, e00721-22 link

[45] Liu, J., Liu, J., Xu, B., Xu, A., Cao, S., Wei, R., Zhou, J., Jiang, M., Dong, W. (2022) Biodegradation of polyether-polyurethane foam in yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) and effects on the gut microbiome. Chemosphere  304, 135263 link

[44] Bayer, T., Pfaff, L., Branson, Y., Becker, A., Shuke, W., Bornscheuer, U.T., Wei, R. (2022) Biosensor and chemo-enzymatic one-pot cascade applications to detect and transform PET-derived terephthalic acid in living cells. iScience  25, 104326 link

[43] Liu, B., Jiang, Q., Qiu, Z., Liu, L., Wei, R., Zhang, X., Xu, H. (2022) Process analysis of microplastic degradation using activated PMS and Fenton reagents. Chemosphere  298, 134220 link

[42] Wei, R., von Haugwitz, G., Pfaff, L., Mican, J., Badenhorst, C.P.S, Liu, W., Weber, G., Austin, H., Bednar, D., Damborsky, J., Bornscheuer, U.T. (2022) Mechanism-based design of efficient PET hydrolases. ACS Catalysis  12, 3382-3396 link

[41] Tiso, T., Winter, B., Wei, R. Hee, J., de Witt, J., Wierckx, N., Quicker, P., Bornscheuer, U.T., Bardow, A., Nogales, J., Blank, L.M. (2022) The metabolic potential of plastics as biotechnological carbon sources – Review and targets for the future. Metabolic Engineering 71, 77-98 link

[40] Brott, S., Pfaff, L., Schuricht, J., Schwarz, J.-N., Böttcher, D., Badenhorst, C.P.S., Wei, R., Bornscheuer, U.T. (2022) Engineering and evaluation of thermostable IsPETase variants for PET degradation. Engineering in Life Sciences  22, 192-203 link

2021

[39] Xue, R., Chen, Y., Rong, H., Wei, R., Cui, Z., Zhou, J., Dong, W., Jiang, M. (2021) Fusion of chitin-binding domain from Chitinolyticbacter meiyuanensis  SYBC-H1 to the leaf-branch compost cutinase for enhanced PET hydrolysis. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology  9, 762854 link

[38] Ballerstedt, H., Tiso, T., Wierckx, N., Wei, R., Avérous, L., Bornscheuer, U., O’Connor, K., Floehr, T., Jupke, A., Klankermayer, J., Liu, L., de Lorenzo, V., Narancic, T., Nogales, J., Perrin, R., Pollet, E., Prieto, A., Casey, W., Haarmann, T., Sarbu, A., Schwaneberg, U., Xin, F., Dong, W., Xing, J., Chen, G.Q., Tan, T., Jiang, M., Blank, L.M. (2021) MIXed plastics biodegradation and UPcycling using microbial communities: EU Horizon 2020 project MIX-UP started January 2020. Environmental Sciences Europe  33, 99 link

[37] Jiang, Q., Li, Z., Cui, Z., Wei, R., Nie, K., Xu, H., Liu, L. (2021) Quantum Mechanical Investigation of the Oxidative Cleavage of the C–C Backbone Bonds in Polyethylene Model Molecules. Polymers  13, 2730 link

[36] Tiso, T., Narancic, T., Wei, R., Pollet, E., Beagan, N., Schröder, K., Honak, A., Jiang, M., Kenny, S.T., Wierckx, N., Perrin, R., Avérous, L., Zimmermann, W., O'Connor, K., Blank, L.M. (2021) Towards bio-upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate. Metabolic Engineering  66, 167-178 link

[35] Liu, J., He, J., Xue, R., Xu, B., Qian, X., Xin, F., Blank, L.M., Zhou, J., Wei, R., Dong, W., Jiang, M. (2021) Biodegradation and up-cycling of polyurethanes: Progress, challenges, and prospects. Biotechnology Advances  48, 107730 link

[34] Jönsson, C., Wei, R., Biundo, A., Landberg, J., Schwarz Bour, L., Pezzotti, F., Toca, A., Jacques, L.M., Bornscheuer, U.T., Syrén, P.O. (2021) Biocatalysis in the recycling landscape for synthetic polymers and plastics towards circular textiles. ChemSusChem 14, 4028-4040 link

[33] Wei, R., Wierckx, N. (2021) Editorial: Microbial Degradation of Plastics. Frontiers in Microbiology  12, 635621 link

[32] Vogel, K., Wei, R., Pfaff L., Breite, D., Al-Fathi, H., Ortmann, C., Estrela-Lopis, I., Venus, T., Schulze, A., Harms, H., Bornscheuer, U.T., Maskow, T. (2021) Enzymatic degradation of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics analyzed in real time by isothermal titration calorimetry. Science of the Total Environment  773, 145111 link

[31] Yan, F., Wei, R., Cui, Q, Bornscheuer, U.T., Liu, Y.-J. (2021) Thermophilic whole-cell degradation of polyethylene terephthalate using engineered Clostridium thermocellum. Microbial Biotechnology  14, 374-385  link

2020

[30] Wei, R., Tiso, T., Bertling, J., O’Connor, K., Blank, L.M., Bornscheuer, U.T. (2020) Possibilities and limitations of biotechnological plastic degradation and recycling. Nature Catalysis  3, 867-871 link

[29] Falkenstein, P., Gräsing, D., Bielytskyi, P., Zimmermann, W., Matysik, J., Wei, R., Song C. (2020) UV pretreatment impairs the enzymatic degradation of polyethylene terephthalate. Frontiers in Microbiology  11, 689 link

[28] Li, Z., Wei, R., Gao, M., Ren, Y., Yu, B., Nie, K., Xu, H., Liu, L. (2020) Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene by Microbulbifer hydrolyticus IRE-31. Journal of Environmental Management  263, 110402 link

[27] Deng, H., Wei, R., Luo, W., Hu, L., Li, B., Di, Y., Shi, H. (2020) Microplastic pollution in water and sediment in a textile industrial area. Environmental Pollution  258, 113658 link

2019

[26] Wei, R., Song, C., Gräsing, D., Schneider, T., Bielytskyi, P., Böttcher, D., Matysik, J., Bornscheuer, U.T., Zimmermann, W. (2019) Conformational fitting of a flexible oligomeric substrate does not explain the enzymatic PET degradation. Nature Communications  10, 5581  link

[25] Zhu, K., Li, G., Wei, R., Mao, Y., Zhao, Y., He, A., Bai, Z., Deng, Y. (2019) Systematic analysis of the effects of different nitrogen source and ICDH knockout on glycolate synthesis in Escherichia coli. Journal of Biological Engineering  13, 30 link

[24] Liu, L., Meng, S., Wei, R., Jiang, M., Wang, F., Nie, K., Tan, T. (2019) Improved stability of Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase from Pseudomonas fluorescens by substitution of cysteine residues. Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy  13, 490-497 link

[23] Wei, R., Breite, D., Song, C., Gräsing, D., Ploss, T., Hille, P., Schwerdtfeger, R., Matysik, J., Schulze, A., Zimmermann, W. (2019) Biocatalytic degradation efficiency of postconsumer polyethylene terephthalate packaging determined by their polymer microstructures. Advanced Science  6, 1900491 link

[22] Salvador, M., Abdulmutalib, U., Gonzalez, J., Kim, J., Smith, A.A., Faulon, J.-L., Wei, R., Zimmermann, W., Jimenez, J.I. (2019) Microbial genes for a circular and sustainable bio-PET economy. Genes  10, 373 link

[21] Belisário-Ferrari, M.R., Wei, R., Schneider, T., Honak, A., Zimmermann, W. (2019) Fast turbidimetric assay for analyzing the enzymatic hydrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate model substrates. Biotechnology Journal  14, 1800272 link

2018 and earlier
[20] Danso D, Schmeisser C, Chow J, Zimmermann W, Wei R, Leggewie C, Li X, Hazen T, Streit WR. 2018. New insights into the function and global distribution of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) degrading bacteria and enzymes in marine and terrestrial metagenomes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 84:e02773-17.
[19] Sonnendecker C, Wei R, Kurze E, Wang J, Oeser T, Zimmermann W. 2017. Efficient extracellular recombinant production and purification of a Bacillus cyclodextrin glucanotransferase in Escherichia coli. Microbial Cell Factories 16:87.
[18] Wei R, Zimmermann W. 2017. Biocatalysis as a green route for recycling the recalcitrant plastic polyethylene terephthalate. Microbial Biotechnology 10(6):1302-1307.
[17] Wei R, Zimmermann W. 2017. Microbial enzymes for the recycling of recalcitrant petroleum-based plastics: how far are we? Microbial Biotechnology 10(6):1308-1322.
[16] Schmidt J, Wei R, Oeser T, Dedavid E Silva La, Breite D, Schulze A, Zimmermann W. 2017. Degradation of polyester polyurethane by bacterial polyester hydrolases. Polymers 9(2): 65.
[15] Schmidt J, Wei R, Oeser T, Belisário-Ferrari MR, Barth M, Then J, Zimmermann W. 2016. Effect of Tris, MOPS and phosphate buffers on the hydrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate films by polyester hydrolases. FEBS Open Bio 6(9): 919-927.
[14] Barth M, Honak A, Oeser T, Wei R, Belisário-Ferrari Mr, Then J, Schmidt J, Zimmermann W. 2016. A dual enzyme system composed of a polyester hydrolase and a carboxylesterase enhances the biocatalytic degradation of polyethylene terephthalate films. Biotechnology Journal 11(8):1082-1087.
[13] Then J, Wei R, Oeser T, Gerdts A, Schmidt J, Barth M, Zimmermann W. 2016. A disulfide bridge in the calcium binding site of a polyester hydrolase increases its thermal stability and activity against polyethylene terephthalate. FEBS Open Bio 6(5):425-432.
[12] Wei R, Oeser T, Schmidt J, Meier R, Barth M, Then J, Zimmermann W. 2016. Engineered bacterial polyester hydrolases efficiently degrade polyethylene terephthalate due to relieved product inhibition. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 113(8): 1658-1665.
[11] Barth M, Wei R, Oeser T, Then J, Schmidt J, Wohlgemuth F, Zimmermann W. 2015. Enzymatic hydrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate films in an ultrafiltration membrane reactor. Journal of Membrane Science 194: 182–187.
[10] Barth M, Oeser T, Wei R, Then J, Schmidt J, Zimmermann W. 2015. Effect of hydrolysis products on the enzymatic degradation of polyethylene terephthalate nanoparticles by a polyester hydrolase from Thermobifida fusca. Biochemical Engineering Journal 93:222–228.
[9] Wang J, Wei R, Tian J, Yang N, Xu X, Zimmermann W, Jin Z. 2015. Multi-wavelength colorimetric determination of large-ring cyclodextrin content for the cyclization activity of 4-α-glucanotransferase. Carbohydrate Polymers 122:329–335.
[8] Then J, Wei R, Oeser T, Barth M, Belisario-Ferrari Mr, Schmidt J, Zimmermann W. 2015. Ca2+ and Mg2+ binding site engineering increases the degradation of polyethylene terephthalate films by polyester hydrolases from Thermobifida fusca. Biotechnology Journal 10:592–598.
[7] Berezina N, Yada B, Godfroid T, Senechal T, Wei R, Zimmermann W. 2015. Enzymatic surface treatment of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), and poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV). Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology 90:2036–2039.
[6] Wei R, Oeser T, Then J, Kühn N, Barth M, Schmidt J, Zimmermann W. 2014. Functional characterization and structural modeling of synthetic polyester-degrading hydrolases from Thermomonospora curvata. AMB Express 4: 44.
[5] Roth C, Wei R, Oeser T, Then J, Föllner C, Zimmermann W, Sträter N. 2014. Structural and functional studies on a thermostable polyethylene terephthalate degrading hydrolase from Thermobifida fusca. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 98:7815–7823.
[4] Wei R, Oeser T, Barth M, Weigl N, Luebs A, Schulz-Siegmund M, Hacker MC, Zimmermann W. 2014. Turbidimetric analysis of the enzymatic hydrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate nanoparticles. Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic 103: 72–78.
[3] Wei R, Oeser T, Billig S, Zimmermann W. 2012. A high-throughput assay for enzymatic polyester hydrolysis activity by fluorimetric detection. Biotechnology Journal 7:1517-1521.
[2] Herrero Acero E, Ribitsch D, Steinkellner G, Gruber K, Greimel K, Eiteljoerg I, Trotscha E, Wei R, Zimmermann W, Zinn M, Cavaco-Paulo A, Freddi G, Schwab H, Guebitz G. 2011. Enzymatic surface hydrolysis of PET: Effect of structural diversity on kinetic properties of cutinases from Thermobifida. Macromolecules 44(12): 4632–4640.
[1] Oeser T, Wei R, Baumgarten T, Billig S, Föllner C, Zimmermann W. 2010. High level expression of a hydrophobic poly(ethylene terephthalate)-hydrolyzing carboxylesterase from Thermobifida fusca KW3 in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). Journal of Biotechnology 146:100-104.

Book chapters

[6] Branson, Y., Badenhorst, C.P.S., Pfaff, L., Buchmann, C., Wei, R., Bornscheuer, U.T. (2023) High-Throughput Screening for Thermostable Polyester Hydrolases. In: Streit, W.R., Daniel, R. (eds) Metagenomics. Methods in Molecular Biology  2555, 153-165. Humana, New York. link

[5] Pfaff, L., Breite, D., Badenhorst C.P.S., Bornscheuer, U.T., Wei, R. (2021) Fluorimetric high-throughput screening method for polyester hydrolase activity using polyethylene terephthalate nanoparticles. In: Weber, G., Bornscheuer, U.T., Wei, R. (eds.) Enzymatic Plastic Degradation. Methods in Enzymology 648, 253-270. Academic Press, Cambridge.  link

[4] Chen, Z., Xiao, Y., Weber, G., Wei, R., Wang, Z. (2021) Yeast cell surface display of bacterial PET hydrolase as a sustainable biocatalyst for the degradation of polyethylene terephthalate. In: Weber, G., Bornscheuer, U.T., Wei, R. (eds.) Enzymatic Plastic Degradation. Methods in Enzymology 648, 457-477. Academic Press, Cambridge.  link

[3] Falkenstein, P., Wei, R., Matysik, J., Song, C. (2020) Mechanistic investigation of enzymatic degradation of polyethylene terephthalate by nuclear magnetic resonance. In: Weber, G., Bornscheuer, U.T., Wei, R. (eds.) Enzymatic Plastic Degradation.
Methods in Enzymology 648, 231-252. Academic Press, Cambridge.  link

[2] Wierckx, N., Narancic, T., Eberlein, C., Wei, R., Drzyzga, O., Magnin, A., Ballerstedt, H., Kenny S.T., Pollet, E., Avérous, L., O’Connor K.E., Zimmermann, W., Heipieper, H.J., Prieto, A., Jiménez, J., Blank, L.M. (2018) Plastic biodegradation: Challenges and opportunities. In: Steffan, R. (eds.) Consequences of Microbial Interactions with Hydrocarbons, Oils, and Lipids: Biodegradation and Bioremediation. Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology. Springer, Cham.  link

[1] Wei, R., Oeser, T., Zimmermann W. (2014) Synthetic polyester-hydrolyzing enzymes from thermophilic actinomycetes. In: Sariaslani, S., Gadd, G.M. (eds.) Advances in Applied Microbiology 89, 267–305. Academic Press, Cambridge.  link