Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #323627
Title: Using enzymes and microorganisms to modify the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol

Author
item WILSON, NINA - Virginia Polytechnic Institution & State University
item GANTULGA, DASH - Virginia Polytechnic Institution & State University
item MCMASTER, NIKI - Virginia Polytechnic Institution & State University
item McCormick, Susan
item SENGER, RYAN - Virginia Polytechnic Institution & State University
item SCHMALE, DAVID - Virginia Polytechnic Institution & State University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/8/2016
Publication Date: 12/8/2016
Citation: Wilson, N., Gantulga, D., McMaster, N., McCormick, S.P., Senger, R., Schmale, D. 2016. Using enzymes and microorganisms to modify the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol [abstract].

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a trichothecene mycotoxin produced by the fungus Fusarium graminearum that contaminates staple crops such as wheat, barley, and maize when they are infected with this fungus. New strategies are needed to mitigate DON. We screened for microbes that could grow in the presence of 100 ppm DON and found two mixed cultures and two pure cultures that consistently detoxified DON in laboratory experiments. Sequencing analysis of the pure cultures indicated that they were Pseudomonas and Achromobacter. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of one of the culture byproducts indicated that DON was converted to 3-keto-DON. In a second approach, we engineered yeast strains to be sensitive to 100 ppm DON and used them to screen library fragments generated from the mixed cultures and the Pseudomonas species and cDNA enzyme sequences created by Integrated DNA Technologies. Three library fragments and two cDNA enzyme sequences were identified that allowed the yeast to grow in the presence of 100 ppm DON. In future studies microbes and enzymes that demonstrated DON detoxification will be tested on contaminated wheat and barley samples. Our research offers a unique approach to reduce DON in these grains, particularly in the context of ethanol co-products.