Enhanced biodegradable polyester film degradation in soil by sequential cooperation of yeast-derived esterase and microbial community

The degradation of biodegradable plastics poses a significant environmental challenge and requires effective solutions. In this study, an esterase derived from a phyllosphere yeast Pseudozyma antarctica (PaE) enhanced the degradation and mineralization of poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA) film in soil. PaE was found to substitute for esterases from initial degraders and activate sequential esterase production from soil microbes. The PBSA film pretreated with PaE (PBSA-E) rapidly diminished and was mineralized in soil until day 55 with high CO₂ production. Soil with PBSA-E maintained higher esterase activities with enhancement of microbial abundance, whereas soil with inactivated PaE-treated PBSA film (PBSA-inact E) showed gradual degradation and time-lagged esterase activity increases. The fungal genera Arthrobotrys and Tetracladium, as possible contributors to PBSA-film degradation, increased in abundance in soil with PBSA-inact E but were less abundant in soil with PBSA-E. The dominance of the fungal genus Fusarium and the bacterial genera Arthrobacter and Azotobacter in soil with PBSA-E further supported PBSA degradation. Our study highlights the potential of PaE in addressing concerns associated with biodegradable plastic persistence in agricultural and environmental contexts.