The mechanism of Lactobacillus strains for their ability to remove fumonisins B1 and B2

• Both strains can remove FBs and exhibit specificity in this process.
• The process was a physical adsorption.
• Peptidoglycan was the main binding site and its structural integrity was required.
• Both strains could reduce the damage of FBs to Caco-2 cell lines.

Two Lactobacillus strains, L. plantarum B7 and L. pentosus X8, exhibited high efficiency in removing fumonisins (FB1 and FB2) from aqueous medium. 52.9% FB1 and 85.2% FB2 were bound by L. plantarum B7, and 58.0% FB1 and 86.5% FB2 by L. pentosus X8, respectively. Temperature, incubation time, and pH affected the binding ability of two strains. Cell viability was not necessary for the binding ability. The various components of cell wall were determined for their ability to absorb FBS. The results revealed that the intact peptidoglycans exhibited the greatest capacity in binding FBs. Especially the better structural integrity of the peptidoglycans the more FBs was bound. Thus, the absorption of two bacterial cells to FBs is proposed to be a physical process, and peptidoglycans should be the main binding site. Additionally, Caco-2 cell lines were used to evaluate the ability of the two strains to reduce the damage of FBs in vitro. Caco-2 cell's death was reduced after the cell lines were subjected to both viable and non-viable L. pentosus X8, respectively. The two Lactobacillus strains might be used as a biological detoxification for the removal of FBs from diet and feed in the future.