Since 2014, PDB-101 has focused on different topics to help build a collection molecular stories around a particular theme. Past topics have included cancer, diabetes, and peak performance.
In 2026, PDB-101 will highlight the structural stories of Biotechnology: using biology in industry.
Many useful enzymes are robust enough to be purified and used in industrial processes. Since they act on biological molecules, these enzymes are widely used in food production. Atomic structures have revealed how these enzymes work, and how they can be improved for better function.
Visit the PDB-101 Biotechnology Browser for resources such as:
Plastic-eating EnzymesPlastics have changed the world we live in. They provide a cheap and versatile way to create consumer products. But plastic has a severe downside. Most plastics in common use are highly stable chemical polymers, and when discarded, they persist in the environment for decades or perhaps even centuries. Widespread use of plastic presents an increasingly severe threat to the global environment and human health. Researchers are now looking for natural ways to recycle and degrade plastics to confront this challenge. Amazingly, some bacteria are ahead of us and have already evolved enzymes that can attack certain types of plastics.
