Metabolic conversions of trichothecene mycotoxins: de-esterification reactions using cell-free extracts of Fusarium.

A crude cell-free extract from cultures of Fusarium sp. strain C37410-90 possessed significant esterase activity and hydrolyzed the trichothecene mycotoxin 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-AcDON) to deoxynivalenol (DON) in high yield. Smaller amounts of 15-acetyl- and 3,15-diacetyl-esters of DON were also formed. The extract was capable of hydrolyzing a range of natural and semisynthetic trichothecene esters, and showed a high degree of regioselectivity towards position 3. 3,4,15-Triacetylscirpentriol (TAS) was efficiently hydrolyzed to 4,15-diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), and no further transformation was observed. The enzyme activity was partially purified.