RmZHD Surface-Displayed <i>Escherichia coli</i> for High Efficiency and Low-Cost Degradation of Zearalenone

Zearalenone (ZEN) is one of the most prevalent mycotoxins in the world, with estrogenic toxicity leading to significant annual economic losses and environmental pollution. RmZHD, a novel ZEN hydrolase, surpasses the efficiency of its predecessors but faces challenges in large-scale industrial application. In this work, an engineered <i>Escherichia coli</i> that can degrade zearalenone is constructed based on synthetic biology and surface display methods. It can degrade 94% of zearalenone at 30 °C in 1 h (the final concentration was 1.898 μg/mL) and effectively degrade ZEN-derived toxins, including zearalanone, β-zearalanol, α-zearalenol, and β-zearalenol. This engineered <i>E. coli</i> requires no additional manipulation for the surface display of RmZHD and is cost-effective to produce. Moreover, it exhibits the capability to degrade ZEN in maize feed while concurrently mitigating inflammation in animal reproductive and digestive organs. In summary, the engineered <i>E. coli</i> with surface-displayed RmZHD presents a novel approach for environmentally sustainable and industrial-scale treatment of ZEN.