Mukhtar Ahmad

Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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12 December 2025 in Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology
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Journal Article
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MAMukhtar Ahmad
Mukhtar Ahmad
DKDeng Kun
Deng Kun
WHWang Hui
Wang Hui
WJWei Jiang
Wei Jiang

23 December 2025 in Toxins
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Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MAMukhtar Ahmad
Mukhtar Ahmad
HWHui Wang
Hui Wang
XLXiaomeng Liu
Xiaomeng Liu
SWShounan Wang
Shounan Wang
TYTie Yin
Tie Yin
WJWei Jiang
Wei Jiang
Zearalenone (ZEN) is a thermostable, lipophilic, non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin produced by Fusarium spp. that persistently contaminates food and feed. Its strong estrogenic activity and resistance to conventional detoxification strategies pose significant threats to food safety and human and animal health. Conventional physical and chemical degradation methods often compromise nutritional quality and leave toxic residues. Here we report the engineering of a novel Clonostachys rosea lactone hydrolase, Cr2zen, for efficient ZEN degradation in Pichia pastoris under mild conditions. Native Cr2zen exhibited a protein concentration of 0.076 mg/mL, achieving a degradation rate of approximately 17.9% within 30 min, with kinetic parameters of Km 75.9 µM and Vmax 0.482 µmol/L/s at 30 °C and pH 8.0. By integrating signal peptide screening and codon optimization, we identified Ser-Cr2 as the most effective variant, achieving a rapid 81.53% degradation of 10 ppm ZEN under mild conditions. Fed-batch cultivation in a 7.5 L bioreactor resulted in high cell densities of OD600 332.8 for Ser-Cr2 and 310.8 for Oser-Cr2, with extracellular protein concentrations of 0.62 and 0.79 g/L, respectively. The results demonstrate that signal peptide engineering and codon optimization substantially improved the production of lactone hydrolase in P. pastoris. This study establishes a scalable ZEN degradation under mild conditions in P. pastoris and outlines a strategy to integrate protein and process engineering for enhanced enzymatic mycotoxin degradation.