Deoxynivalenol: A Major Player in the Multifaceted Response of Fusarium to Its Environment

Abstract

The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), produced by several Fusarium spp., acts as a virulence factor and is essential for symptom development after initial wheat infection. Accumulating evidence shows that the production of this secondary metabolite can be triggered by diverse environmental and cellular signals, implying that it might have additional roles during the life cycle of the fungus. Here, we review data that position DON in the saprophytic fitness of Fusarium, in defense and in the primary C and N metabolism of the plant and the fungus. We combine the available information in speculative models on the role of DON throughout the interaction with the host, providing working hypotheses that await experimental validation. We also highlight the possible impact of control measures in the field on DON production and summarize the influence of abiotic factors during processing and storage of food and feed matrices. Altogether, we can conclude that DON is a very important compound for Fusarium to cope with a changing environment and to assure its growth, survival, and production of toxic metabolites in diverse situations.

Priming of Wheat with the Green Leaf Volatile Z-3-Hexenyl Acetate Enhances Defense against Fusarium graminearum But Boosts Deoxynivalenol Production

“…Namely, after hyphal growth in the apoplast, plants accumulate H 2 O 2 to induce programmed cell death in order to counteract the biotrophic phase of Fusarium spp. However, H 2 O 2 acts as a signal for F. graminearum to produce DON, which in turn creates a positive feedback loop leading to increased H 2 O 2 and DON production, thus successfully hijacking the plant defense system and clearing the path for the necrotrophic phase of F. graminearum (Walter et al, 2010;Audenaert et al, 2013). Because of the health risks associated with DON (Rotter et al, 1996), it is of paramount importance to investigate whether the enhanced plant defense impacts fungal DON production.…”

A valuable QTL for Fusarium head blight resistance from Triticum turgidum L. ssp. dicoccoides has a stable expression in durum wheat cultivars

“…In resistant cultivars a rapid and intensive deposition of callose, lignin and other materials conforming very thick layers of wall appositions play an important role as physical barriers (Kang and Buchenauer 2000). Once the infection is established, the sesquiterpenoid mycotoxins produced by F. graminearum, especially DON, interfere with the metabolism, physiologic processes and structural integrity of the host cell (Audenaert et al 2013). On the other hand, the resistant cultivars achieve lower toxin concentration than susceptible due either to mechanisms that limit the hyphal colonization in the tissue (Kang and Buchenauer 2000) or the ability to turn deoxynivalenol into the less toxic metabolite deoxynivalenol-3-O-glucoside (Lemmens et al 2005).…”

Genotoxic Effects of Mycotoxins: Review

“…Ancak, DNA hasarına ve hücresel toksisiteyi hangi mekanizmalar ile artırdığı hâlen tartışma konusudur. 69,108,121,122 DON'nin anöjenik aktivitesinden dolayı mikroçe-kirdek oluşumunu ve kromozomal anormallikleri artırdığını, ayrıca oksidatif DNA hasarını uyardı-ğını gösteren in vitro çalışmalar da bulunmaktadır. 123,124 İnsan kolon karsinoma (Caco-2) ve insan hepatoselüler karsinoma (HepG2) hücreleri ile yapı-lan Comet testinde, DON'nin DNA hasarına neden olduğu, kemik iliği hücrelerinde klastojenik ve/veya anöjenik etkilerini belirlemek üzere yapı-lan mikroçekirdek testinde pozitif sonuç verdiği bildirilmiştir.…”