Core Insights - The research published in the journal "Nature Chemistry" reveals that E. coli can convert a molecule derived from waste plastic bottles into the painkiller acetaminophen, suggesting a sustainable method to upgrade plastic waste into useful products [1][2] Group 1: Research Findings - Plastic waste is an increasingly serious issue, and upgrading it sustainably remains a primary task [1] - The study utilized metabolic engineering to combine chemical reaction networks used in biological cells to produce desired molecules, although the effectiveness of this approach in upgrading plastic into useful products was previously unclear [1] - The research identified a chemical reaction called rearrangement catalyzed by phosphate in E. coli, which produces nitrogen-containing organic compounds essential for cell metabolism [1] Group 2: Production Efficiency - The study demonstrated that the molecule derived from plastic can serve as a starting material for producing acetaminophen in E. coli, achieving a yield of 92% [2] - The authors suggest that this research may be the first instance of generating acetaminophen from waste using E. coli, indicating potential for further exploration of other bacteria or plastics to produce useful products [2]