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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #335823
Research Project: Novel Methods for Controlling Trichothecene Contamination of Grain and Improving the Climate Resilience of Food Safety and Security Programs

Location: Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research

Title: DON modification in naturally-contaminated wheat samples using microorganisms isolated from the environment

Author
item WILSON, NINA - Virginia Tech
item GANTULGA, DASH - Virginia Tech
item MCMASTER, NICOLE - Virginia Tech
item KNOTT, KEN - Virginia Tech
item McCormick, Susan
item SENGER, RYAN - Virginia Tech
item SCHMALE, DAVID - Virginia Tech

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/6/2016
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The fungus Fusarium graminearum produces the toxic compound deoxynivalenol (DON) that contaminates wheat, barley, and maize. New strategies are needed to mitigate DON in the United States. Microbes were isolated from different soil types, and cultured in a mineral salt media using 100 ppm DON as the sole carbon source. We identified two mixed cultures, Soil 1 and Soil 2, which consistently modified DON. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used to determine the structures of the DON byproducts. Sequencing of the mixed cultures showed that Soil 1 contained mostly members of the genera Acinetobacter and Enterobacter, and Soil 2 contained mostly members of the genera Pseudomonas and Comamonas. Soil 1 and Soil 2 were incubated in wheat samples naturally contaminated with different amounts of DON (11.5 ppm or 57 ppm). Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis showed that incubation with Soil 1 cultures resulted in nearly complete reduction of DON in samples containing 11.5 ppm DON. GC/MS analysis of the samples indicated that DON was converted to 3-epi-DON. This research highlights one way that DON can be detoxified in naturally contaminated samples.