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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 #251842
Title: Differential Expression of Putative Polyketide Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Fusarium verticillioides

Author
item Butchko, Robert
item Brown, Daren
item Busman, Mark
item TUDYNSKI, BETTINA - Wilhelms University
item WIEMANN, PHILIPP - Wilhelms University

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/11/2010
Publication Date: 8/11/2010
Citation: Butchko, R.A., Brown, D.W., Busman, M., Tudynski, B., Wiemann, P. 2010. Differential Expression of Putative Polyketide Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Fusarium verticillioides. American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The maize pathogen Fusarium verticillioides can produce a number of polyketide derived secondary metabolites, including fumonisins. Fumonisins cause diseases in animals, and show epidemiological correlation with esophageal cancer and birth defects in humans. The F. verticillioides genome contains numerous polyketide synthase (PKS) genes, including FUM1 which encodes the PKS required for fumonisin production. Only a small number of these PKS have been described with regard to the polyketide molecules they produce. Regulation of the expression and activity of fungal secondary metabolite genes clusters can be effected by multiple factors including both pathway specific and nonspecific transcription factors. In Aspergillus species, LaeA has been shown to regulate the expression of secondary metabolite gene clusters at a higher hierarchical level, acting as a master regulator at the chromatin level. Here, the effects of the deletion of a putative laeA homolog in F. verticillioides are described. Toxin analysis revealed a decrease in fumonisin production, as well as other secondary metabolites. Microarray analysis indicates that the expression of the other putative secondary metabolite gene clusters is down-regulated in the F. verticillioides laeA deletion strain.