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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 #326543
Title: Exploring the role of trehalose metabolism in resistance to oxidative and desiccation stress in Fusarium verticillioides

Author
item OBERLIE, NICOLE - Bradley University
item MCMILLAN, SARAH - Bradley University
item BONICH, NICHOLAS - Bradley University
item Brown, Daren
item MCQUADE, KRISTI - Bradley University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/16/2016
Publication Date: 4/16/2016
Citation: Oberlie, N.R., McMillan, S.D., Bonich, N.S., Brown, D.W., McQuade, K.L. 2016. Exploring the role of trehalose metabolism in resistance to oxidative and desiccation stress in Fusarium verticillioides [abstract].

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Fusarium verticillioides is a pathogenic filamentous fungus that primarily affects maize. We are exploring stress response mechanisms in F. verticillioides, particularly the role of trehalose, a disaccharide known to be involved in the ability of several organisms to withstand desiccation or drought. To determine the role of trehalose in the response of F. verticillioides to oxidative or desiccation stress, we performed viability assays on strains of the fungus lacking one or more genes coding for enzymes involved in trehalose synthesis or degradation. Both germinating and non-germinating spores were treated with menadione, a compound known to induce oxidative stress. Exposing non-germinating spores to 100 mM menadione for 1 hour causes a dramatic decrease in viability across all strains tested. Unexpectedly, treatment with 10 mM menadione increases spore viability in some strains. Preliminary results suggest that delaying the 10 mM menadione treatment until after germination has already begun yields different results. In addition, desiccation of non-germinating spores leads to a dramatic loss in viability of all strains tested, with a trehalose-deficient mutant being most susceptible. After two days of desiccation, about 50% of wild-type spores are viable, whereas less than 5% of spores from a strain unable to produce trehalose remain viable, indicating an important role for trehalose in desiccation tolerance in F. verticillioides.