20 September, 2002 (Business Times) - A TEAM of Malaysian scientists, incollaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), isworking on producing biodegradable plastics involving the metabolicengineering of oil palm.MIT professor Anthony John Sinskey, who is involved in the project, saidthe research comes under the Malaysia-MIT Biotechnology PartnershipProgramme (MMBPP) sponsored by the Malaysian Government.“The programme is participated by 18 academic, industry and governmentinstitutions, and more than 200 researchers worldwide,” he told BusinessTimes.Apart from MIT, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), Universiti KebangsaanMalaysia (UKM), Universiti Malaya (UM), and Universiti Putra Malaysia(UPM) are involved.According to Sinskey, MMBPP researchers are pursuing two separate avenuesto produce biodegradable plastics, scientifically known aspolyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs).MIT, UKM, UM and MPOB are looking into the use of enzymes to get the palmsto produce PHAs in the fronds.“Many of these enzymes are native in oil palm proteins whose levels can bemodulated to favour plastics production,” he said.But before this can be done, the scientists need to have a rigorousunderstanding of the complex chemical pathways involved in the plant’s oilproduction. Intensive research on the enzymes is required as well.“Once such knowledge is acquired, methods will be developed to achieve PHAsynthesis,” he added.On a parallel basis, MIT,MPOB and UPM scientists are seeking to alter thegenetics of the oil palm through the transplanting of PHA-producing genes.“An important part of this research is the identification of genes thatget naturally ‘turned on’.“And then we have to know how to direct the PHA biosynthesis genes to turnon only in the leaves and only at the proper developmental stage,” Sinskeysaid.The project is currently in the research and development phase, and isbeing carried out in laboratories in Malaysia and the US.“Several important milestones have been reached, including thedemonstration of transient production of PHA in cultured oil palm cells,and the development of analytical methods to quickly assess the levels ofPHA production.”The next phase of research will involve regeneration of entire oil palmplants that produce PHA, and further development of tissue-specific toolsfor PHA production in the fronds.But due to the long life cycle of the oil palm, plantations ofplastic-producing palms are at least 10 years away, the professor said.In addition, although the funding for the programme has been approved forthe next two years, money has not yet been disbursed, and the laboratoriesin Malaysia and at MIT have had to put the work on hold.On the benefits of the project to the plastics industry, Sinskey said PHAshave a large number of applications, including the production ofecologically friendly packaging materials, paints and surface treatments,and high-end medical products such as replacement heart valves.“And remember that being oil palm-based, the resource is a renewable one,and clean too.”Asked if there is any other way to produce plastics, Sinskey said bacteriacan be used but the process is much more expensive than petroleum-basedproduction.“Much of the cost of producing PHAs in bacteria is associated with theexpense of propagating and harvesting the bacteria.“Producing PHAs in oil palm on an agricultural scale has been shown to becommercially viable... bulk costs will be less than US$1 (US$1 = RM3.80) apound.“Of course, efficient processing techniques will have to be developed, andconsumers and governments will need to be encouraged to opt forecologically responsible plastics.”Biodegradable plastics production is a green technology that canultimately save the earth, Sinskey stressed.Apart from cost savings involved, the technology will also help addresssome key waste management issues such as PHAs which are truly recyclable.“There will also be less dependence on petroleum.”The metabolic engineering research is one of four ongoing projects underMMBPP, a five-year programme which is entering its fourth year.The others are research on the use of tissue culture techniques to developmore efficient tools for oil palm micro-propagation, and thestandardisation and characterisation of the bio-activities and qualitiesof two herbs, “Tongkat Ali” and “Pegaga”.