Anton A. Stepnov

Production and evaluation of fluorophore-doped polymer substrates to screen for plastic-degrading enzymes

The paper develops a fluorescent probe-based method to screen plastic-degrading enzymes using rhodamine-doped polymer substrates and validates it with PET and polyethylene materials.

Discovery and characterization of bacterial unspecific peroxygenase-like heme-thiolate enzymes

The paper discovers and characterizes a new family of bacterial heme-thiolate peroxygenases, showing structural and functional similarities to eukaryotic UPOs.

Discovery and characterization of a copper-binding carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) regulating the activity of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases

The paper identifies a copper-binding CBM2 module that regulates LPMO activity by scavenging free copper and interacting with the LPMO's catalytic site, preventing oxidative damage.

Microbial degradation of a widely used model polyethylene is restricted to medium- and long-chain alkanes and their oxidized derivatives

The paper identifies microbial communities capable of degrading medium- and long-chain alkanes and their oxidized derivatives in polyethylene, revealing the presence of these compounds in the model PE material.

Revisiting the activity of two poly(vinyl chloride)- and polyethylene-degrading enzymes

This study attempts to replicate two recent claims of enzymatic degradation of polyethylene and poly(vinyl chloride) but finds no activity under various conditions, suggesting previous results may have been misinterpreted.