Molecular Approaches to the Study of Trichothecene Production in Fusarium Species

Lincy, S. V. (2008) Molecular Approaches to the Study of Trichothecene Production in Fusarium Species. PhD thesis, University of Mysore.

PDF Lincy.pdf Download (3MB)

Abstract

Fusarium is a wide spread group of toxigenic and plant pathogenic filamentous fungi, with a record of devastating infections on many kinds of economically important plants. Fusarium is the causative agent of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) or scab, ear, stem or stalk rot in economically important cereals, especially wheat and barley, dry rot in potatoes and crown rot in banana. FHB infection adversely affect the quality and marketability of grain by reducing yield, discoloring and shriveling of seeds and contamination of the grain with mycotoxins that eventually result in heavy losses of several billion dollars to wheat and barley farmers worldwide. The importance of these fungi and their toxins in human health cannot be underestimated. Fusarium has been established as the causative of alimentary toxic aleukia (ATA). Fusarium secretes a vast array of toxins that include trichothecenes, fumonisins, zearalenone, beuvericin etc. Trichothecenes are sequiterpenoids in nature and are classified into 4 groups. Type A trichothecenes such as T-2, Hydroxy T-2 (HT-2) and Diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) are produced by F. sporotrichioides, F. poae, F. equiseti and the type B trichothecenes such as deoxynivalenol (DON) synthesized by F. culmorum, F. graminearum and Nivalenol (NIV) by F. graminearum, F. poae, F. equiseti. Trichothecenes are significantly phytotoxic and paves the way for Fusarial colonization of the plant and is probably important in controlling the spread of other fungal strains. Trichothecenes are commonly reported as contaminants in breakfast cereals or cereal products and vegetables, as they are stable under normal cooking conditions. DON is the most prevalent among the trichothecenes in wheat and wheat based products, followed by the toxins such as NIV, DAS and T-2.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Fusarium filamentous fungi trichothecene molecular approach
Subjects:	500 Natural Sciences and Mathematics > 07 Life Sciences > 04 Microbiology > 04 Fungi
Divisions:	Plant Cell Biotechnology
Depositing User:	Food Sci. & Technol. Information Services
Date Deposited:	08 May 2009 11:43
Last Modified:	30 Apr 2012 10:31
URI:	http://ir.cftri.res.in/id/eprint/8941

Actions (login required)

View Item