The expression, identification, and application of DsDDH: a dehydrogenase from Devosia sp. 63-57 for the biodegradation of deoxynivalenol

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a globally significant mycotoxin that can contaminate grains, representing a serious hazard to human and animal health. The current research identified a DON-degrading dehydrogenase from Devosia sp. 63-57 ( Ds DDH). A Ds DDH demonstrated noticeable activation in the presence of Ca 2+ , with electron acceptors including pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), phenazine methosulfate (PMS), and 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPIP). The Ds DDH effectively degraded over 82 % of DON (10 μg/mL) within 30 min using PMS or DCPIP as electron acceptors. Additionally, the Ds DDH retained 76 % of its activity after pre-incubating for 2 h at 45 °C. Moreover, the Ds DDH-mediated degradation product of DON was confirmed to be 3-keto-DON, which significantly showed lower toxicity than DON, as verified by zebrafish larvae assays. Furthermore, DON contents in corn and wheat flour decreased from 9.58 to 9.73 to 1.36 and 1.77 μg/g, resulting in degradation rates of 85.85 and 81.76 %, respectively. These findings provide valuable insights into developing a biological detoxification strategy for DON in cereal and feed applications, laying a promising foundation for safer and more effective mycotoxin control.