Molecular docking studies and in vitro degradation of four aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2) by a recombinant laccase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Here, molecular docking simulation was used to predict and compare interactions between a recombinant Trametes sp. C30 laccase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and four aflatoxins (AFB1 , AFB2 , AFG1 , and AFG2 ) as well as their degradation at a molecular level. The computational result of docking simulation indicates that each of the aflatoxins tested can interact with laccase with a binding ability of AFB1 >AFG2 >AFG1 >AFB2 . Simultaneously, it also demonstrated that aflatoxin B1 ， B2 ， G1 ， G2 may interact near the T1 copper center of the enzyme through H-bonds and hydrophobic interactions with amino acid residues His481 and Asn288; His481； Asn288, and Asp230; His481 and Asn288. Biological degradation test was performed in vitro in the presence of a recombinant laccase. Degradation increased as incubation time increased from 12 to 60 hr and the maximum degradation obtained for AFB1 , AFB2 , AFG1 , and AFG2 was 90.33%, 74.23%, 85.24%, and 87.58%, respectively. Maximum degradation of aflatoxins was determined with a total activity 3 U laccase at 30 °C in 0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 5.7 after 48-hr incubation. The experimental results are consistent with that of docking calculation on the biological degradation test of four aflatoxins by laccase. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: In this study, the degradation efficiencies of laccase for B and G series of aflatoxins were determined by computer simulation and verified by performing in vitro experiments. It can provide reference for rapid screening of aflatoxin degradation-related enzymes.