ZEARALENONE DETOXIFICATION COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS

摘要

A method for identifying a microorganism having the ability to degrade zearalenone comprises:(a) isolating a microorganism from a source material; (b) culturing the microorganism in a culture media having zearalenone as the sole carbon source; (c) observing the culture media for the disappearance of zearalenone crystals where the disappearance of zearalenone crystals from the culture media indicates that the microorganism has the ability to degrade zearalenone; and (d) preparing a pure culture of the microorganism. Also claimed are: (1) a microorganism having the ability to degrade zearalenone; (2) a method of degrading zearalenone in or on a plant comprising topically applying a composition containing a microorganism capable of degrading zearalenone in or on the plant; (3) a method of degrading zearalenone on a harvested grain comprising topically applying a composition comprising microorganism capable of degrading zearalenone to the harvested grain; (4) a method of isolating a DNA molecule comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide having the ability to degrade zearalenone comprising, in combination: (a) isolating the genomic DNA of a degrader organism; (b) generating fragments of the genomic DNA; (c) inserting each of the fragments into expression vector; (d) transforming the expression vector into a non-degrader organism; (e) identifying a transformed non-degrader organism having the ability to degrade zearalenone following transformation; where a DNA molecule comprising a gene encoding a gene product having the ability to degrade zearalenone is isolated; (5) a DNA molecule comprising a gene encoding a gene product having the ability to degrade zearalenone; (6) a method of generating a transgenic plant having the ability to degrade zearalenone comprising: (a) transforming a regenerable culture or plant tissue segment with a transgene comprising a gene encoding a gene product having the ability to degrade zearalenone; and (b) regenerating the regenerable culture or plant tissue segment into a mature plant; whereby a transgenic plant having the ability to degrade zearalenone is generated.