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Mycotoxins: A Fungal Genomics Perspective

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Mycotoxigenic Fungi

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1542))

Abstract

The chemical and enzymatic diversity in the fungal kingdom is staggering. Large-scale fungal genome sequencing projects are generating a massive catalog of secondary metabolite biosynthetic genes and pathways. Fungal natural products are a boon and bane to man as valuable pharmaceuticals and harmful toxins. Understanding how these chemicals are synthesized will aid the development of new strategies to limit mycotoxin contamination of food and feeds as well as expand drug discovery programs. A survey of work focused on the fumonisin family of mycotoxins highlights technological advances and provides a blueprint for future studies of other fungal natural products. Expressed sequence tags led to the discovery of new fumonisin genes (FUM) and hinted at a role for alternatively spliced transcripts in regulation. Phylogenetic studies of FUM genes uncovered a complex evolutionary history of the FUM cluster, as well as fungi with the potential to synthesize fumonisin or fumonisin-like chemicals. The application of new technologies (e.g., CRISPR) could substantially impact future efforts to harness fungal resources.

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Acknowledgements

Mention of trade names or commercial products in this chapter is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the US Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (USDA–ARS–NCAUR), 1815 North University St., Peoria, IL, 61604, USA

    Daren W. Brown

  2. US Department of Energy, Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA

    Scott E. Baker

Authors
  1. Daren W. Brown
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Correspondence to Daren W. Brown .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Sciences of Food Production National Research Council, Bari, Italy

    Antonio Moretti

  2. Institute of Sciences of Food Production National Research Council, Bari, Italy

    Antonia Susca

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Brown, D.W., Baker, S.E. (2017). Mycotoxins: A Fungal Genomics Perspective. In: Moretti, A., Susca, A. (eds) Mycotoxigenic Fungi. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1542. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6707-0_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6707-0_24

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6705-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6707-0

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