The novel fungal-specific gene FUG1 has a role in pathogenicity and fumonisin biosynthesis in Fusarium verticillioides.

ABSTRACT: Fusarium verticillioides is a globally important pathogen of maize, capable of causing severe yield reductions and economic losses. In addition, F. verticillioides produces toxic secondary metabolites during kernel colonization that pose significant threats to human and animal health. Fusarium verticillioides and other plant-pathogenic fungi possess a large number of genes with no known or predicted function, some of which could encode novel virulence factors or antifungal targets. In this study, we identified and characterized the novel gene FUG1 (Fungal Unknown Gene 1) in F. verticillioides through functional genetics. Deletion of FUG1 impaired maize kernel colonization and fumonisin biosynthesis. In addition, deletion of FUG1 increased sensitivity to the antimicrobial compound 2-benzoxa

SUBMITTER: Ridenour JB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6638258 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature