Sphingolipid bases and their 1-phosphates, but not fumonisins, are translocated from roots to aerial tissues of maize seedlings watered with fumonisins.

Authors: Zitomer, Nicholas; JONES, SAMANTHA - South Carolina State University; Bacon, Charles; Glenn, Anthony - Tony; Baldwin, Thomas; Riley, Ronald

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/12/2010
Publication Date: 8/12/2010
Citation: Zitomer, N.C., Jones, S., Bacon, C.W., Glenn, A.E., Baldwin, T.T., Riley, R.T. 2010. Sphingolipid bases and their 1-phosphates, but not fumonisins, are translocated from roots to aerial tissues of maize seedlings watered with fumonisins. American Phytopathological Society. August 12, 2010. Charlotte, NC.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract - no summary required.

Technical Abstract: In an earlier study using maize seedlings grown from kernels inoculated with Fusarium verticillioides, fumonisin B1 (FB1) was preferentially accumulated in leaf tissue compared to FB2 and FB3. The present study tested whether maize seedlings preferentially translocate FB1 when plants are watered with FB1 and/or FB2, without the fungus present. The results show that neither FB1 nor FB2 was translocated when administered in the watering solution and while both FB1 and FB2 were taken up by the roots the accumulation of FB2 in roots was significantly less than predicted indicating that FB1 was preferentially accumulated. In addition there was clear evidence of ceramide synthase inhibition in the roots and sphingoid base and sphingoid base 1-phosphates accumulated in leaf tissue presumably due to translocation from the roots. These findings suggest that the fungal/plant interaction is necessary for FB1 translocation in maize seedlings infected with F. verticillioides.