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Isolation and characterization of a Bacillus licheniformis strain capable of degrading zearalenone

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Abstract

The worldwide contamination of cereals, oilseeds, and other crops by mycotoxin-producing moulds is a significant problem. Mycotoxins have adverse effects on humans and animals that result in illnesses and economic losses. Reduction or elimination of mycotoxin contamination in food and feed is an important issue. This study aimed to screen soil bacteria for degradation of zearalenone (ZEN). A pure culture of strain CK1 isolated from soil samples showed most capable of degradation of ZEN. Using physiological, biochemical, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis methods, CK1 was identified as Bacillus licheniformis. Addition of 2 ppm of ZEN in Luria–Bertani (LB) medium, B. licheniformis CK1 decreased 95.8% of ZEN after 36 h of incubation. In ZEN-contaminated corn meal medium, B. licheniformis CK1 decreased more than 98% of ZEN after 36 h of incubation. In addition, B. licheniformis CK1 was non-hemolytic, non-enterotoxin producing, and displayed high levels of extracellular xylanase, cellulase, and protease activities. These findings suggest that B. licheniformis CK1 could be used to reduce the concentrations of ZEN and improve the digestibility of nutrients in feedstuffs simultaneously.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Professor Y. H. Cheng of National Ilan University for providing ZEN-contaminated corn meal. This research was conducted using funds partially provided by grant 98AS-2.1.4-AD-U1(9) and 99AS-2.1.4-AD-U1(5) from the Council of Agriculture, Republic of China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, 4F., No. 81, Chang-Xing Street, Taipei, Taiwan

    Ping-Jung Yi & Je-Ruei Liu

  2. Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Cheng-Kang Pai

  3. Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan

    Je-Ruei Liu

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  1. Ping-Jung Yi
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  2. Cheng-Kang Pai
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  3. Je-Ruei Liu
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Correspondence to Je-Ruei Liu.

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Yi, PJ., Pai, CK. & Liu, JR. Isolation and characterization of a Bacillus licheniformis strain capable of degrading zearalenone. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 27, 1035–1043 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-010-0548-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-010-0548-7

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