Biotransformation of the Mycotoxin, Zearalenone, to a Non-estrogenic Compound by a Fungal Strain of Clonostachys sp

Abstract

Zearalenones are mycotoxins with estrogenic activity consisting of a resorcinol moiety fused to a 14-membered macrocyclic lactone and are produced by various Fusarium species. We found that Clonostachys rosea IFO 7063 was effectively capable of converting zearalenone (1) to cleavage product (2), 1-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-10′-hydroxy-1′E-undecene-6′-one. Moreover, cleavage product 2 did not show potent estrogenic activity like that of 1 and 17β-estradiol in the human breast cancer MCF-7 cell proliferation assay. © 2002 by Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry.