Project Number: 3620-42000-034-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Jan 19, 2006
End Date: Jan 18, 2011

Objective:
Identify genes that regulate fumonisin production in F. verticillioides. Identify genes that contribute to the ability of F. verticillioides to cause maize ear rot. Identify biochemical changes in maize in response to fumonisin B1 and F. verticillioides, and to determine if there is cross-talk between maize and F. verticillioides sphingolipids. Identify genes responsible for the biosynthesis of other agronomically important mycotoxins produced by the maize ear rot pathogens F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum and F. subglutinans. Develop a rapid, selective and robust PCR-based diagnostic test to detect and quantify mycotoxigenic strains of Fusarium in contaminated grain and food products.

Approach:
Utilize a combination of molecular genetic approaches such as genomic resources and microarray analysis to identify and characterize 1) genes involved in the regulation of fumonisin production in the fungus Fusarium verticillioides and 2) genes that contribute to the ability of the fungus to cause maize diseases. Employ chemical analyses (e.g. mass spectroscopy) to determine whether fumonisins affect sphingolipid metabolism in maize. Use molecular genetic methods to identify genes required for the biosynthesis of other mycotoxins produced by agronomically important Fusarium species. Use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approaches to detect and quantify mycotoxin-producing fungi in maize plants. BSL-1 and risk group RG1 recertified April 17, 2008.