The mycotoxin fumonisin B1 is necessary for corn seedling disease development and is translocated from roots to shoot.

Authors: Zimeri, Anne; Williams, Lonnie; Riley, Ronald; Glenn, Anthony - Tony

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2006
Publication Date: 7/29/2006
Citation: Zimeri, A.M., Williams, L.D., Riley, R.T., Glenn, A.E. 2006. The mycotoxin fumonisin B1 is necessary for corn seedling disease development and is translocated from roots to shoot {abstract}. Phytopathology 96:S131.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract for Amer. Phytopath. Soc. no interpretive summary required.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium verticilliodes, the causative agent of corn seedling blight and ear rot, produces the mycotoxin fumonisin B1 (FB1). The toxicity of FB1 is due to its inhibition of ceramide synthase, a key enzyme necessary for sphingolipid metabolism. Such inhibition occurs in animals and plants. FB1 production by F. verticillioides strains significantly increased their virulence toward corn seedlings. Non-producing strains infected without disease development. Exposing seedlings to FB1 in the absence of F. verticillioides caused some symptoms of disease, though not as severe as when the fungus was present. To determine if FB1 works synergistically with other fungal secondary metabolites to cause disease, seedlings were grown in the presence of fungal extracts with and without FB1. Plants exposed to extract containing FB1 exhibited the full suite of symptoms associated with seedling blight disease as occurs on plants infected with FB1 producing strains. In addition, we found that aerial portions of plants subjected to this treatment contained FB1, suggesting the metabolite was taken up by roots and translocated by the plant vasculature. Plants exposed to extracts lacking FB1 grew similar to no extract controls. Future work will dissect the relationship of FB1 movement throughout the plant with disease development and potential accumulation in the kernels.