Host-derived lipids and oxylipins are crucial signals in modulating mycotoxin production by fungi

Abstract

A major problem in grain production is the contamination of seed with mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus spp. and Fusarium spp. Among these fungi, Aspergilli commonly associate with oil-rich crops such as corn, peanuts, cotton, and various tree nuts, suggesting an important role for host lipids in the ability of pathogens to produce mycotoxins. Recent genetic and pharmacological studies demonstrated that plant-derived lipids, especially their oxidized products called oxylipins, govern the outcome of the host-fungal pathogen interactions. The emerging picture suggests that host lipids and oxylipins act as signals to modulate fungal developmental processes including sporogenesis and biosynthesis of mycotoxins by mimicking the regulatory action of endogenous fungal oxidized lipids. In this review we discuss recent findings that implicate host seed lipids, and their oxylipin derivatives including hydroperoxides, jasmonates, and C6-volatile compounds in regulating fungal development and mycotoxin biosynthesis.

Keywords::

• Lipids
• fatty acids
• oxylipins
• lipoxygenase
• mycotoxin
• host-pathogen interaction

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr. Heather Wilkinson (Texas A&M University) and Dr. Marion Brodhagen (Western Washington University) for providing thoughtful comments to this manuscript. This work was supported by the USDA ARS Mycotoxin Workshop, Texas A&M AgriLIFE Research Monocot Improvement Program, and by the NSF grant IOB-0544428 to Michael Kolomiets.