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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #262913
Title: Effect of different ecological conditions on secondary metabolite production and gene expression in two mycotoxigenic plant pathogen Fusarium species: F. verticillioides and F. equiseti

Author
item LAZZARO, IRENE - Catholic University Of The Sacred Heart Italy
item McCormick, Susan
item Busman, Mark
item BATTILANI, PAOLA - Catholic University Of The Sacred Heart Italy
item Butchko, Robert

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/20/2011
Publication Date: 3/15/2011
Citation: Lazzaro, I., Mccormick, S.P., Busman, M., Battilani, P., Butchko, R.A. 2011. Effect of different ecological conditions on secondary metabolite production and gene expression in two mycotoxigenic plant pathogen Fusarium species: F. verticillioides and F. equiseti. Meeting Abstract. v. 58(suppl): #198, pg. 166.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The genus Fusarium includes many species that are plant pathogens and many produce harmful secondary metabolites including fumonisins and trichothecenes. These mycotoxins can cause disease in animals and have been associated with cancers and birth defects in humans. Many factors influence the production of secondary metabolites in Fusarium species; however regulation of secondary metabolite gene expression is not well understood. We are interested in environmental factors that affect secondary metabolite gene expression and production of mycotoxins. Water activity has been shown to affect both fungal growth and mycotoxin production in a variety of fungi. Here we investigate the effect of water activity on toxin production and the expression of the FUM genes in the fumonisin producing maize pathogen F. verticillioides and the TRI genes in the trichothecene producing soil born pathogen F. equiseti using quantitative real-time PCR.