Molecular biology of Fusarium mycotoxins

• Published in: International journal of food microbiology Vol. 119; no. 1; pp. 47 - 50
• Main Authors: Desjardins, A.E., Proctor, R.H.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 20-10-2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; cyclic peptides; feed grains; food contamination; Food Contamination - analysis; Food Contamination - prevention & control; food grains; Food industries; Food microbiology; food pathogens; Food toxicology; fumonisins; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; fusarins; Fusarium; Fusarium - genetics; Fusarium - metabolism; Fusarium graminearum; Gene cluster; Gene Expression Regulation; genes; Genes, Fungal; host-pathogen relationships; Multigene Family; Mycotoxin; Mycotoxins - biosynthesis; Mycotoxins - genetics; plant breeding; plant diseases and disorders; plant pathogenic fungi; polyketides; regulator genes; secondary metabolites; terpene cyclase gene; toxigenic strains; transgenic plants; trichothecenes; virulence; zearalenone; Fusarium; Gene cluster; Mycotoxin; Fungi; Toxin; Gene; Fungi Imperfecti; Molecular biology
• ISSN: 0168-1605; 1879-3460
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2007.07.024

As the 20th century ended,
Fusarium mycotoxicology entered the age of genomics. With complete genomes of
Fusarium graminearum and
F. verticillioides and several
Fusarium gene expression sequence databases on hand, researchers worldwide are working at a rapid pace to identify mycotoxin biosynthetic and regulatory genes. Seven classes of mycotoxin biosynthetic genes or gene clusters have been identified in
Fusarium to date; four are polyketide synthase gene clusters for equisetin, fumonisins, fusarins, and zearalenones. Other
Fusarium mycotoxin biosynthetic genes include a terpene cyclase gene cluster for trichothecenes, a cyclic peptide synthetase for enniatins, and a cytochrome P450 for butenolide. From the perspective of the United States Department of Agriculture, the ultimate goal of research on
Fusarium molecular biology is to reduce mycotoxins in cereal grains. With this goal in mind, efforts have focused on identifying aspects of mycotoxin biosynthesis and regulation that can be exploited for mycotoxin control. New information on fungal and plant genomes and gene expression will continue to provide information on genes important for fungal-plant interactions and to facilitate the development of targeted approaches for breeding and engineering crops for resistance to
Fusarium infection and mycotoxin contamination.