Dual Function of a Novel Bacterium, <i>Slackia</i> sp. D-G6: Detoxifying Deoxynivalenol and Producing the Natural Estrogen Analogue, Equol
Xiaojuan Gao,
Peiqiang Mu,
Xunhua Zhu,
Xiaoxuan Chen,
Shulin Tang,
Yuting Wu,
Xiang Miao,
Xiaohan Wang,
Jikai Wen,
Yiqun Deng
Affiliations
Xiaojuan Gao
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Peiqiang Mu
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Xunhua Zhu
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Xiaoxuan Chen
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Shulin Tang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Yuting Wu
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Xiang Miao
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Xiaohan Wang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Jikai Wen
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Yiqun Deng
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a highly abundant mycotoxin that exerts many adverse effects on humans and animals. Much effort has been made to control DON in the past, and bio-transformation has emerged as the most promising method. However, useful and effective application of bacterial bio-transformation for the purpose of inhibiting DON remains urgently needed. The current study isolated a novel DON detoxifying bacterium, Slackia sp. D-G6 (D-G6), from chicken intestines. D-G6 is a Gram-positive, non-sporulating bacterium, which ranges in size from 0.2−0.4 μm × 0.6−1.0 μm. D-G6 de-epoxidizes DON into a non-toxic form called DOM-1. Optimum conditions required for degradation of DON are 37−47 °C and a pH of 6−10 in WCA medium containing 50% chicken intestinal extract. Besides DON detoxification, D-G6 also produces equol (EQL) from daidzein (DZN), which shows high estrogenic activity, and prevents estrogen-dependent and age-related diseases effectively. Furthermore, the genome of D-G6 was sequenced and characterized. Thirteen genes that show potential for DON de-epoxidation were identified via comparative genomics. In conclusion, a novel bacterium that exhibits the dual function of detoxifying DON and producing the beneficial natural estrogen analogue, EQL, was identified.
