Abstract
ABSTRACT Aflatoxins are toxic, highly carcinogenic secondary metabolites of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, which when produced during fungal infection of a susceptible crop in the field or after harvest contaminate food and feed and threaten human and animal health. Although there are several management strategies that may reduce aflatoxin contamination of corn, the preeminent strategy for elimination of aflatoxin is to develop preharvest host resistance to aflatoxin accumulation. This strategy has gained even greater prominence due to recent discoveries of natural resistance in corn that can be exploited in plant-breeding strategies. The ability to identify resistant corn genotypes has been enhanced by the development of a laboratory kernel-screening assay and by a strain of A. flavus genetically engineered to produce beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme whose activity can be monitored to assess the degree of fungal infection in kernels. Investigations of resistant corn genotypes have associated kernel pericarp wax characteristics with resistance, identified kernel proteins associated with resistance to and inhibition of fungal growth or aflatoxin biosynthesis, and identified chromosome regions associated with resistance to Aspergillus ear rot and aflatoxin production. Such research advances could lead, in the near future, to commercially available, agronomically acceptable corn lines with multiple preharvest resistances to aflatoxin contamination.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Natural resistance to aflatoxin accumulation was discovered in corn.
- Taxon
- corn
Zea mays subsp. mayse0 - Outcome
- natural resistancee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“recent discoveries of natural resistance in corn that can be exploited in plant-breeding strategies”
Claim · model-written summary
A laboratory kernel assay improved identification of resistant corn genotypes.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Outcome
- ability to identify resistant corn genotypese0
- Comparator
- laboratory kernel-screening assaye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The ability to identify resistant corn genotypes has been enhanced by the development of a laboratory kernel-screening assay”
Claim · model-written summary
An engineered A. flavus strain improved assessment of fungal infection in kernels.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Interactor
- A. flavus
Aspergillus flavuse0pathogen - Outcome
- degree of fungal infection in kernelse0
- Comparator
- beta-glucuronidasee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“by a strain of A. flavus genetically engineered to produce beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme whose activity can be monitored to assess the degree of fungal infection in kernels”
t0“Corn”
Claim · model-written summary
Kernel pericarp wax characteristics were associated with resistance.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Organ / stage
- kernel pericarpe0
- Outcome
- resistancee0
- Qualifier
- wax characteristicse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“associated kernel pericarp wax characteristics with resistance”
t0“Corn”
Claim · model-written summary
Kernel proteins were associated with resistance and fungal growth inhibition.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Gene
- kernel proteinse0
- Outcome
- resistance to and inhibition of fungal growthe0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“identified kernel proteins associated with resistance to and inhibition of fungal growth or aflatoxin biosynthesis”
t0“Corn”
Claim · model-written summary
Chromosome regions associated with Aspergillus ear rot resistance were identified.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Interactor
- Aspergillus
Aspergilluse0pathogen - Gene
- chromosome regionse0
- Outcome
- resistance to Aspergillus ear rote0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“identified chromosome regions associated with resistance to Aspergillus ear rot and aflatoxin production”
t0“Corn”
Claim · model-written summary
Chromosome regions associated with aflatoxin production were identified.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayst0
- Gene
- chromosome regionse0
- Outcome
- aflatoxin productione0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“identified chromosome regions associated with resistance to Aspergillus ear rot and aflatoxin production”
t0“Corn”