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Title: Fusarium verticillioides genes conferring xenobiotic detoxification

Author
item Glenn, Anthony - Tony
item Snook, Maurice

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2009
Publication Date: 8/1/2009
Citation: Glenn, A.E., Snook, M.E. 2009. Fusarium verticillioides genes conferring xenobiotic detoxification. Phytopathology. August 1 - 5, 2009. Portland, OR.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract - no summary required.

Technical Abstract: Phytochemicals, microbial metabolites, and agrochemicals can individually or collectively impact the diversity and frequency of microbial species occurring in agricultural field environments. Resistance to such chemicals by plant pathogenic fungi is common and potentially devastating to crop yield and value because those fungi may ultimately dominate the overall fungal community. The mycotoxigenic Fusarium verticillioides (Gibberella moniliformis) is such a fungus commonly associated with corn worldwide, causing ear rot and contaminating corn kernels with the fumonisin mycotoxins. The dominance of F. verticillioides in corn field environments may be due in part to its ability to metabolize phytoprotectants produced by corn. The benzoxazinoids and benzoxazolinones are broad spectrum allelopathic, antimicrobial, and anti-herbivory compounds, yet F. verticillioides can rapidly biotransform these phytochemicals into non-toxic malonamic acid metabolites. To better understand the genetics and chemistry of this metabolic process, genomic tools were utilized to identify genes essential for the biotransformation activity. Genes within two clusters conferred metabolic tolerance to 2-benzoxazolinone (BOA), one of the corn phytoprotectants. Gene deletion analyses are underway and may provide insight into novel metabolic resistance mechanisms against a range of azole and arylamine compounds, including fungicides.