No abstract

5Aflatoxins, a group of polyketide-derived furanocoumarins (Fig. 1), are the most toxic and carcinogenic compounds among the known mycotoxins. Among the at least 16 structurally related aflatoxins characterized, however, there are only four major aflatoxins,

Sterigmatocystin (ST)

Traditional molecular techniques have been used in research in discovering the genes and enzymes that are involved in aflatoxin formation and genetic regulation. We cloned most, if not all, of the aflatoxin pathway genes. A consensus gene cluster for aflatoxin biosynthesis was discovered in 2005. The factors that affect aflatoxin formation have been studied. In this report, the author summarized the current status of research progress and future possibilities that may be used for solving aflatoxin contamination.