Abstract
The trichothecene mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) is a common contaminant of wheat, barley, and maize. New strategies are needed to reduce or eliminate DON in feed and food products. Microorganisms from plant and soil samples collected in Blacksburg, VA, USA, were screened by incubation in a mineral salt media containing 100 μg/mL DON and analysis by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Two mixed cultures derived from soil samples consistently decreased DON levels in assays using DON as the sole carbon source. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis indicated that 3-keto-4-deoxynivalenol was the major by-product of DON. Via 16S rRNA sequencing, these mixed cultures, including mostly members of the genera Acinetobacter, Leadbetterella, and Gemmata, were revealed. Incubation of one of these mixed cultures with wheat samples naturally contaminated with 7.1 μg/mL DON indicated nearly complete conversion of DON to the less toxic 3-epimer-DON (3-epi-DON). Our work extends previous studies that have demonstrated the potential for bioprospecting for microorganisms from the environment to remediate or modify mycotoxins for commercial applications, such as the reduction of mycotoxins in fuel ethanol co-products.
Highlights
Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi that are a threat to the health of humans and domestic animals [1]
Our work extends previous studies that have demonstrated the potential for bioprospecting for microbes that modify toxic secondary metabolites from grains and/or grain products, such as the reduction of mycotoxins in fuel ethanol co-products
These five mixed culture samples that eliminated DON from the culture media (below the limit of quantification (
Summary
Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi that are a threat to the health of humans and domestic animals [1]. This diverse class of compounds can contaminate commercial foods (e.g., wheat, maize, peanuts, cottonseed, and coffee) and animal feedstocks. Mycotoxins can be harmful even at small concentrations, creating significant food safety concerns [1,2]. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimated that approximately 1 billion metric tons of food is lost each year due to mycotoxin contamination [3]. The trichothecenes are a major class of mycotoxins containing over 150 toxic compounds and are toxic inhibitors of protein synthesis [8,9]. Trichothecenes are produced by several different fungi in Toxins 2017, 9, 141; doi:10.3390/toxins9040141 www.mdpi.com/journal/toxins
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