Evaluating the potential of Pediococcus pentosaceus as a biocontrol agent against tenuazonic acid–producing Alternaria alternata on livestock feeds

• Published in: Journal of applied microbiology Vol. 133; no. 5; pp. 3020 - 3029
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Rodrigo Cardoso, Mendonça, Carlos Miguel Nobrega, Verissimo, Nathalia Vieira, Almeida, Sonia Regina Yokomizo, Correa, Benedito, Watanabe, Ii‐Sei, de Azevedo, Pamela Oliveira de Souza, Oliveira, Ricardo Pinheiro de Souza
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Oxford University Press 01.11.2022
• Subjects: Alternaria alternata; antifungal effects; Bacteria; Biological control; Biosynthesis; Conidia; Contamination; Corn; Corn silage; Fungicides; Gene expression; grain silage; Growth rate; High performance liquid chromatography; Lactic acid; Lactic acid bacteria; Liquid chromatography; Livestock; Livestock feeds; Mycotoxins; Pediococcus pentosaceus; Pollution control; Scanning electron microscopy; Silage; Sporulation; Tenuazonic acid
• ISSN: 1364-5072; 1365-2672
• DOI: 10.1111/jam.15746

Aims This study aims to demonstrate the potential of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Pediococcus pentosaceus LBM18 against the mycotoxin‐producing Alternaria alternata TEF‐1A and highlight its application as an effective grain silage inoculant to control mycotoxin contamination. Methods and Results The antifungal properties of Ped. pentosaceus lyophilized (PPL) were assessed by evaluating its effect on A. alternata TEF‐1A grown in a corn silage‐based medium, which included morphological changes by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observations, growth rate, conidia production assays, and inhibition of Tenuazonic acid (TeA) production by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC–MS/MS) analyses. Furthermore, TeA biosynthesis was monitored for changes at the molecular level by PKS gene expression. The growth and sporulation processes of A. alternata TEF‐1A were affected by Ped. pentosaceus LBM18 in a concentration‐dependent manner. Moreover, a significant inhibition of TeA production (74.3%) and the transcription level of the PKS gene (42.9%) was observed. Conclusions Ped. pentosaceus is one of the promising LAB to be applied as an inoculant for corn silage preservation, aiming to inhibit mycotoxigenic fungi growth and their mycotoxin production. Significance and impact of the study Ped. pentosaceus could be used as an inoculant to reduce fungal and mycotoxins contamination in grain silage production.