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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 #370687
Research Project: Genomic and Metabolomic Approaches for Detection and Control of Fusarium, Fumonisins and Other Mycotoxins on Corn

Location: Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research

Title: Genus-wide analysis of Fusarium polyketide synthases uncovers broad natural product potential

Author
item Brown, Daren
item Kim, Hye-Seon
item Busman, Mark
item Proctor, Robert

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/17/2020
Publication Date: 2/20/2020
Citation: Brown, D.W., Kim, H.-S., Busman, M., Proctor, R. 2020. Genus-wide analysis of Fusarium polyketide synthases uncovers broad natural product potential [abstract].

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Collectively, species of Fusarium cause economically important diseases on virtually all crop plants, and many species produce secondary metabolites (SMs) that are toxic to animals (i.e., mycotoxins) and can accumulate in crops where they pose health risks to humans, livestock, and pets. Polyketides are the most common group of fungal SMs and are formed by polymerization of simple carboxylic acids (acyl-CoA) via the activity of large, multidomain polyketide synthases (PKSs). To gain further insight into the biosynthetic potential of Fusarium, we examined the content and phylogenetic relationships of PKS genes in genome sequences of 214 species that represent the known breadth of phylogenetic diversity in the genus. Maximum likelihood analysis of the predicted amino acid sequences of 2975 PKS genes retrieved from the genome sequences resolved 130 distinct clades. We propose that most clades correspond to a structurally distinct polyketide product. Comparisons of the genes flanking the Fusarium PKS genes to previously characterized SM biosynthetic gene clusters in other Ascomycetes indicate that Fusarium has the potential to synthesize multiple SMs, including lovastatin- and cyclosporine-like metabolites, that have not heretofore been ascribed to this genus. This genus-wide study highlights the biosynthetic potential of fusaria and will help identify novel fungal SMs.