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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 #362658
Research Project: Novel Methods for Controlling Trichothecene Contamination of Grain and Improving the Climate Resilience of Food Safety and Security Programs

Location: Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research

Title: Trichoderma trichothecenes: beyond their toxic effect

Author
item GUTIERREZ, SANTIAGO - University Of Leon
item McCormick, Susan
item CARDOZA, ROSA - University Of Leon
item LINDO, LAURA - University Of Leon
item ALEXANDER, NANCY - Retired ARS Employee
item Proctor, Robert

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2019
Publication Date: 7/17/2020
Citation: Gutierrez, S., McCormick, S.P., Cardoza, R.E., Lindo, L., Alexander, N.J., Proctor, R.H. 2020. Trichoderma trichothecenes: beyond their toxic effect. In: Gupta, V.K., Zeilinger, S., Singh, H.B., Druzhinina, I. New and Future Developments in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioengineering. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier B.V. p. 281-301. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819453-9.00013-1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819453-9.00013-1

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Trichothecenes are sesquiterpenoid toxins, whose production by Trichoderma species is restricted to few species belonging or closely related to the Brevicompactum clade. These species typically produce one of two structurally similar trichothecene analogs: harzianum A (HA) or trichodermin. Most Trichoderma trichothecene biosynthetic (tri) genes are clustered and occur at multiple loci. However, Trichoderma species are unique in that tri5, which encodes a terpene synthase that catalyzes the first committed step in trichothecene biosynthesis, is not located near other tri genes. T. arundinaceum tri6 and tri10 homologs regulate expression of all other tri genes as well as genes involved in biosynthesis of some other metabolites. Trichoderma trichothecenes exhibit diverse biological activities, including inhibitory activity against human tumor, plant and fungal cells. In T. arundinaceum, HA production affects levels of biosynthetic intermediates of other terpenes, such as ergosterol, and also affects expression of virulence genes and production of the terpene botrydial in the phytopathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea. Together, recent findings on trichothecene production in Trichoderma have provided insight into how the toxins affect the physiology of the producers and the organisms with which they interact.