The e-coli bacteria, DH+alpha, which is already located inside the mealworm's gut has the ability to decompose polystryene. However, polystryene only takes 7.8% while PET is more than 51%. Unfortunately, the mealworms don’t have the ability to decome polyehtylene yet. However, on the bright side, there is already a DNA artificially made by scientists that could decompose PET: the PUC 19. PUC 19 is one of a series of plasmid cloning vectors created by Joachim Messing and co-workers. So what we are trying to do is recombine DH+alpha and PUC19 by chemical transforming them.
If they are recombined properly, they would have the resistance to antibiotic which means that it would grow well in the agar badge. Now all we have to do is put this recombined DNA inside the DNA. From this experiment we are trying to further the mealworm’s ability to decompose plastic. If we succeed, we would provide a new solution to increasing amount of plastic.
