Genetic variability in FUM genes of Fusarium verticillioides strains

• Grant number: 06/06984-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: April 01, 2007
• End date: March 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Benedito Corrêa
• Grantee: Valéria Nascimento da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Fumonisins are products of secondary metabolism of Fusarium species, mainly Fusarium verticillioides. These substances are toxic to animals and potentially carcinogenic to humans. To date, 15 genes (FUM) are known to be involved in the biosynthesis of fumonisins, of which FUM1, FUM6 and FUM8 were shown essential to the production of these toxins. However, so far few strains of F. verticillioides had the FUM genes completely sequenced. Previous studies done in our laboratory showed a possible relation between the fumonisins levels and the sequence of FUM1 gene. In addition, these genes are a potential target for the primers construction for F. verticillioides identification. Thus, this project is important to provide further information about fumonisins production mechanism. Consequently, the results might relp the design of fumonisins control strategies. In this context, we aim, i) to isolate and identify the F. verticillioides from corn and sorghum, ii)to analyze the sequences variability of the FUM1, FUM6 and FUM8 genes of the strains and relate it with the fumonisins levels.