Resistance to aflatoxin contamination in corn as influenced by relative humidity and kernel germination.

Kernels of corn population GT-MAS:gk, resistant to aflatoxin B1 production by Aspergillus flavus, and susceptible Pioneer hybrid 3154 were tested for aflatoxin when incubated under different relative humidities (RH). High aflatoxin levels were not detected in either genotype at RH < 91%. Resistance in GT-MAS:gk was consistent across all RH levels (91 to 100%) at which significant aflatoxin accumulation was detected. Aflatoxin levels in GT-MAS:gk averaged about 98% less than those in susceptible Pioneer 3154, which suggests that storage of this or other genotypes with similar resistance mechanisms may be possible under moisture conditions less exacting than are required with susceptible hybrids. Results for fungus growth and sporulation ratings on kernel surfaces were similar to those for aflatoxin levels. When kernels of both genotypes were preincubated 3 days at 100% RH prior to inoculation with A. flavus, germination percentages increased to very high levels compared to those of kernels that were not preincubated. In preincubated kernels aflatoxin levels remained consistently low in GT-MAS:gk but decreased markedly (61%) in Pioneer 3154. When eight susceptible hybrids were evaluated for aflatoxin accumulation in preincubated kernels, seven of these supported significantly lower toxin levels than kernels not subjected to preincubation. Average reduction across hybrids was 83%, and reductions within hybrids ranged from 68 to 96%. Preincubated kernels of one susceptible hybrid (Deltapine G-4666) supported aflatoxin levels comparable to those in resistant GT-MAS: gk. Data suggest that an inhibitor of aflatoxin biosynthesis may be induced during kernel germination. Possible mechanisms for embryo effects on resistance to aflatoxin accumulation are discussed.     

Resistance to aflatoxin accumulation in kernels of maize inbreds selected for ear rot resistance in West and Central Africa

Thirty-six inbred lines selected in West and Central Africa for moderate to high resistance to maize ear rot under conditions of severe natural infection were screened for resistance to aflatoxin contamination using the previously established kernel screening assay. Results showed that more than half the inbreds accumulated aflatoxins at levels as low as or lower than the resistant U.S. lines GT-MAS:gk or MI82. In 10 selected aflatoxin-resistant or aflatoxin-susceptible inbreds, Aspergillus flavus growth, which was quantified using an A. flavus transformant containing a GUS-beta-tubulin reporter gene construct, was, in general, positively related to aflatoxin accumulation. However, one aflatoxin-resistant inbred supported a relatively high level of fungal infection, whereas two susceptibles supported relatively low fungal infection. When kernels of the 10 tested lines were profiled for proteins using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, significant variations from protein profiles of U.S. lines were observed. Confirmation of resistance in promising African lines in field trials may significantly broaden the resistant germplasm base available for managing aflatoxin contamination through breeding approaches. Biochemical resistance markers different from those being identified and characterized in U.S. genotypes, such as ones inhibitory to aflatoxin biosynthesis rather than to fungal infection, may also be identified in African lines. These discoveries could significantly enhance the host resistance strategy of pyramiding different traits into agronomically useful maize germplasm to control aflatoxin contamination.     

花生重组近交系黄曲霉产毒抗性的变异与相关分析

以不同遗传背景的亲本远杂9102与中花5号杂交构建重组近交系（RIL）群体,进行人工接种和黄曲霉毒素含量测定。结果表明,RIL群体对黄曲霉的产毒抗性存在较大变异,产毒抗性为受亲本加性基因控制的数量性状,而且存在超亲优势,因此利用微效加性基因的累加和互补提高产毒抗性的潜力较大。相关性分析表明,RIL群体中黄曲霉产毒抗性与百果重、含油量、青枯病抗性之间相关性不显著,不存在紧密连锁关系。初步筛选到大果、高油、兼抗青枯病与黄曲霉产毒的优异材料,可以作为进一步育种研究的核心亲本。     

烟草糖酯SSR分子标记筛选及辅助育种应用

为明确与糖酯紧密连锁的SSR分子标记在烟草实际育种工作中的可用性,加快烤烟糖酯遗传改良进程,本研究利用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳技术和GC-MS检测技术,以不同遗传背景的5个烟草种质以及192份重组自交系遗传群体为试验材料,对5个SSR分子标记开展了筛选和验证研究。结果表明,5个分子标记中,PT20315、PT30354两个分子标记在不同遗传背景中多态性稳定,并且其多态性条带与糖酯表型差异的对应性较好;在重组自交系群体中,两个分子标记鉴定的基因型与糖酯表型的一致率分别为93.75%和90.58%,可用于高糖酯烟草分子辅助育种中。目前,利用两个分子标记辅助选择,已经定向改良获得高糖酯K326等新品系材料。     

Aflatoxin production in peanut lines selected to represent a range of linoleic acid concentrations

To determine whether concentrations of linoleate in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seed oil could be used to predict an ability to support aflatoxin production, seeds of genotypes representing a range of linoleate content were inoculated with Aspergillus flavus Link ex Fries and assayed for aflatoxin content. Seeds were blanched and quartered, inoculated with conidia of A. flavus, placed on moistened filter paper in petri dishes, and incubated for 8 days at 28 degrees C. Multiple regression analysis was used to account for the variation among lines with the use of fatty acid concentrations as independent variables. In test 1, linoleate accounted for 39 to 44% of the variation among lines for aflatoxin B1 and B2 and total aflatoxin (26 to 27% after log transformation). Oleate accounted for substantial additional variation (27 to 29%) among lines (20 to 23% after log transformation). Other fatty acids accounted for small fractions of among-line variation. In test 2, linoleate accounted for about 35 to 44% of the variation among entries across traits (29 to 37% for log-transformed data); arachidate accounted for 19 to 29% (27 to 33% after log transformation). Eicosenoate accounted for a small part of the total entry variation. In both experiments, residual variation among entries was significant. Low-linoleate lines consistently contained more aflatoxin, whereas normal- to high-linoleate lines contained variable amounts. Although fatty acid concentrations accounted for significant portions of genetic variation, it is not practical to use them as predictors for susceptibility to aflatoxin contamination, especially for lines in the normal range for oleate and linoleate.     

黄曲霉菌感染花生的不同检测方法的应用

通过黄曲霉菌对不同品种花生感染后的检测技术的应用,不仅比较方法的适用性,更能从研究品种中发现对黄曲霉菌抵抗能力强的品种。从辽宁省风沙所和葫芦岛市选用18种花生品种,用黄曲霉NRRL3357菌株接种花生仁培养7 d,根据传统分级标准得到的感染指数,分析花生的抗黄曲霉感染的能力;利用半定量薄层层析法和精确定量高效液相色谱法检测到的黄曲霉毒素质量浓度,确定花生的抗黄曲霉毒素合成的能力。同一品种表观评估法观测的黄曲霉感染指数与薄层色谱法和高效液相色谱法测定的黄曲霉毒素的质量浓度基本一致,鉴定出2个高抗黄曲霉感染和黄曲霉毒素质量浓度低的花生品种,分别是阜花11和白沙1016。     

Delimination of brewing yeast strains using different molecular techniques

In general, the genetic characteristics, the phenotype and the microbial purity of the production brewing yeast strains are among the most important factors in maintaining a consistently good quality of products. Analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns of 18S rRNA-coding DNA was investigated to group ale and lager strains. All production brewing yeast strains showed the same RFLP pattern as the type strain and synonym type strains of S. cerevisiae, and were quite different from the type and synonym type strains of S. pastorianus. Based on these data, all production brewing yeast strains investigated in this study appeared to belong to S. cerevisiae. Electrophoretic karyotyping and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis appeared to be suitable methods for distinguishing not only the type and synonym type strain of S. cerevisiae and S. pastorianus, but also the ale and the lager strains.     

玉米抗黄曲霉毒素污染的研究进展

黄曲霉毒素污染是影响玉米食用安全的重要因素。筛选培育玉米抗性品种,从源头控制黄曲霉的侵染,是解决玉米田间及储存期黄曲霉污染的有效方法。对国内外玉米黄曲霉抗原种质的筛选鉴定、分子标记辅助选育及部分抗性机理等方面的研究进行了概述,并就目前存在的一些问题,探讨了我国玉米抗黄曲霉的研究方向。     

High genetic variability in non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus strains by using Quadruplex PCR-based assay

Aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus isolates always show, by using a multiplex PCR-system, four DNA fragments specific for aflR, nor-1, ver-1, and omt-A genes. Non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus strains give variable DNA banding pattern lacking one, two, three or four of these genes. Recently, it has been found and reported that some aflatoxin non-producing A. flavus strains show a complete set of genes. Because less is known about the incidence of structural genes aflR, nor-1, ver-1 and omt-A in aflatoxin non-producing strains of A. flavus, we decided to study the frequencies of the aflatoxin structural genes in non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus strains isolated from food and feed commodities. The results can be summarized as following: 36.5% of the examined non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus strains showed DNA fragments that correspond to the complete set of genes (quadruplet pattern) as found in aflatoxigenic A. flavus. Forty three strains (32%) showed three DNA banding patterns grouped in four profiles where nor-1, ver-1 and omt-A was the most frequent profile. Twenty five (18.7%) of non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus strains yielded two DNA banding pattern whereas sixteen (12%) of the strains showed one DNA banding pattern. In one strain, isolated from poultry feed, no DNA bands were found. The nor-1 gene was the most representative between the four aflatoxin structural assayed genes. Lower incidence was found for aflR gene. Our data show a high level of genetic variability among non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus isolates that require greater attention in order to design molecular experiment to distinguish true aflatoxigenic from non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus strains.     

Growth of an Aspergillus flavus transformant expressing Escherichia coli beta-glucuronidase in maize kernels resistant to aflatoxin production.

Kernels of a maize inbred that demonstrated resistance to aflatoxin production in previous studies were inoculated with an Aspergillus flavus strain containing the Escherichia coli beta-D-glucuronidase reporter gene linked to a beta-tubulin gene promoter and assessed for both fungal growth and aflatoxin accumulation. Prior to inoculation, kernels were pin-wounded through the pericarp to the endosperm, pin-wounded in the embryo region, or left unwounded. After 7 days incubation with the fungus, beta-glucuronidase activity (fungal growth) in the kernels was quantified using a fluorogenic assay and aflatoxin B content of the same kernels was analyzed. Kernels of a susceptible inbred, similarly treated, served as controls. Results indicate a positive relationship between aflatoxin levels and the amount of fungal growth. However, resistant kernels wounded through the pericarp to the endosperm before inoculation supported an increase in aflatoxin B over levels observed in nonwounded kernels, without an increase in fungal growth. Wounding kernels of the resistant inbred through the embryo resulted in both the greatest fungal growth and the highest levels of aflatoxin B1 for this genotype. Maintenance of resistance to aflatoxin B1 in endosperm-wounded kernels may be due to the action of a mechanism which limits fungal access to the kernel embryo.     

No effect of soybean lipoxygenase on aflatoxin production in Aspergillus flavus-inoculated seeds

Soybean lines lacking lipoxygenase (LOX) activity were compared with soybean lines having LOX activity for the ability to support growth and aflatoxin B1 production by the fungal seed pathogen Aspergillus flavus. Whole seeds, broken seeds, and heat-treated (autoclaved) whole seeds were compared. Broken seeds, irrespective of LOX presence, supported excellent fungal growth and the highest aflatoxin levels. Autoclaved whole seeds, with or without LOX, produced good fungal growth and aflatoxin levels approaching those of broken seeds. Whole soybean seeds supported sparse fungal growth and relatively low aflatoxin levels. There was no significant difference in aflatoxin production between whole soybean seeds either with or without LOX, although there did seem to be differences among the cultivars tested. The heat treatment eliminated LOX activity (in LOX+ lines), yet aflatoxin levels did not change substantially from the broken seed treatment. Broken soybean seeds possessed LOX activity (in LOX+ lines) and yet yielded the highest aflatoxin levels. The presence of active LOX did not seem to play the determinant role in the susceptibility of soybean seeds to fungal pathogens. Seed coat integrity and seed viability seem to be more important characteristics in soybean seed resistance to aflatoxin contamination. Soybean seeds lacking LOX seem safe from the threat of increased seed pathogen susceptibility.     

基于SRAP分子标记的栽培种花生遗传连锁图谱构建

采用新型分子标记SRAP（sequence-related amplified polymorphism）技术,以杂交组合（豫花4号×郑8903）的F2群体为材料构建花生栽培种的分子遗传连锁图谱。采用238对SRAP引物对豫花4号和郑8903进行多态性筛选,结果表明用SRAP引物能充分反映两亲本之间的多态性,每个引物组合可产生10~30个左右清晰可辨的条带。筛选多态性较好的78对引物对其F2群体进行分析,共得到287条多态性条带,每对引物组合产生的多态性条带从1~9条不等,平均产生3.68个多态性条带。采用Mapmaker/EXP3.0软件对产生的287个标记位点构建连锁群（LOD≥3.0）,共223个标记位点进入到22个连锁群中,总长2 129.4cM,标记间平均间距为9.55cM。标记在整个连锁群中分布相对比较均匀,这是目前首张基于SRAP分子标记建立的花生栽培种遗传连锁图谱。     

Construction and preliminary evaluation of an Aspergillus flavus reporter gene construct as a potential tool for screening aflatoxin resistance

Effective preharvest strategies to eliminate aflatoxin accumulation in crops are not presently available. The molecular biology of aflatoxin biosynthesis has been extensively studied, and genetic and molecular tools such as reporter gene systems for the measurement of fungal growth have been developed. A reporter construct containing the Aspergillus flavus beta-tubulin gene promoter fused to Escherichia coli beta-glucuronidase (GUS) has been shown to be a reliable tool for the indirect measurement of fungal growth in maize kernels. Since cost-saving alternative methods for the direct measurement of aflatoxin levels are needed to facilitate more widespread field and laboratory screening of maize lines, a new reporter gene construct involving the promoter region of the omtA gene of the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway was constructed and tested. Expression of GUS activity by this construct (omtA::GUS) was correlated with aflatoxin accumulation in culture. In the fungal transformant GAP26-1, which harbors this construct, aflatoxin production and GUS expression on sucrose-containing medium showed the same temporal pattern of toxin induction. Furthermore, GUS expression by GAP26-1 was shown to be associated with aflatoxin accumulation in maize kernels inoculated with this strain. Our results suggest that this and other reporter gene pathway promoter constructs may provide superior alternatives to direct aflatoxin quantification with respect to time, labor, and materials for the screening of maize lines for resistance to aflatoxin accumulation.     

Analysis of population structure of Aspergillus flavus from peanut based on vegetative compatibility, geographic origin, mycotoxin and sclerotia production

Isolates of Aspergillus flavus obtained from a new growing peanut region in Argentina (Formosa province) were examined for aflatoxin types B and G and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) production. Sclerotia diameters and the number of sclerotia produced per square centimetre were also determined for each isolate. They were tested by vegetative compatibility group analysis to investigate their genetic relatedness and correlate the results with vegetative compatibility groups previously described from the major peanut-growing area (Córdoba province) in our country. Two isolates were considered atypical because they simultaneously produce aflatoxins B and G and CPA. A. flavus population from Formosa province was very diverse genetically. Vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) formed by typical isolations of A. flavus were different among agroecological sites. Formosa isolates could not be grouped to any of the Córdoba VCGs, while that one of the VCGs that contain atypical isolates included strains from the two geographical regions. Each VCG included isolates of the same mycotoxin and sclerotia production pattern. The two regions analysed have different climatic conditions, soil type, crop sequence history and also are in different latitude. These parameters may reflect different geographic adaptation between isolates from both sites.     

Effect of gamma-irradiation on aflatoxin B1 production by Aspergillus flavus and chemical composition of three crop seeds

The effect of gamma-irradiation on aflatoxin B1 production by Aspergillus flavus, and the chemical composition of some different crop seeds were investigated. A. flavus infected seeds behaved differently according to their principal constituents. A. flavus caused an increase in protein and decrease in lipids and carbohydrate contents of wheat, soyabean and fababean seeds. Growth of A. flavus and production of aflatoxin B1 was inhibited at a dose level of 5 kGy. A. flavus utilizes carbohydrates of seeds for its growth and aflatoxin production. Crops were arranged, in descending order, according to aflatoxin produced in seeds as wheat > soyabean > fababean. There were no changes in chemical constituents of irradiated seeds, such as protein, lipids, and carbohydrates.     

Polymerase chain reaction-mediated characterization of molds belonging to the Aspergillus flavus group and detection of Aspergillus parasiticus in peanut kernels by a multiplex polymerase chain reaction

The Aspergillus flavus group covers species of A. flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus as aflatoxin producers and Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus sojae as koji molds. Genetic similarity among these species is high, and aflatoxin production of a culture may be affected by cultivation conditions and substrate composition. Therefore, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-mediated method of detecting the aflatoxin-synthesizing genes to indicate the degree of risk a genotype has of being a phenotypic producer was demonstrated. In this study, 19 strains of the A. flavus group, including A. flavus, A. parasiticus, A. oryzae, A. sojae, and one Aspergillus niger, were subjected to PCR testing in an attempt to detect four genes, encoding for norsolorinic acid reductase (nor-1), versicolorin A dehydrogenase (ver-1), sterigmatocystin O-methyltransferase (omt-1), and a regulatory protein (apa-2), involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis. Concurrently, the strains were cultivated in yeast-malt (YM) broth for aflatoxin detection. Fifteen strains were shown to possess the four target DNA fragments. With regard to aflatoxigenicity, all seven aflatoxigenic strains possessed the four DNA fragments, and five strains bearing less than the four DNA fragments did not produce aflatoxin. When peanut kernels were artificially contaminated with A. parasiticus and A. niger for 7 days, the contaminant DNA was extractable from a piece of cotyledon (ca. 100 mg), and when subjected to multiplex PCR testing using the four pairs of primers coding for the above genes, they were successfully detected. The target DNA fragments were detected in the kernels infected with A. parasiticus, and none was detected in the sound (uninoculated) kernels or in the kernels infected with A. niger.     

中国猴头菇栽培菌株的系统进化研究

利用随机扩增多态性DNA(RAPD)标记对7 个猴头菇之间的亲缘关系进行研究,获得了猴头菇不同菌株的DNA 指纹图谱。结果显示：14 个随机引物中有3 个随机引物的扩增产物的DNA 条带表现出明显的多态性。这3个引物共扩增出44 条带,其中36 条为多态性条带,多态性位点比率为81.81%。同时利用NTSYSpc 2.1 生物软件分析7 个供试菌株之间的遗传相似性,并绘制系统进化树。     

贵州秋季栽培不同荞麦品种成熟期果实中黄曲霉及其毒素的分离与鉴定

本研究以贵阳秋季栽培的2个米苦荞(F.tataricum,贵米苦荞18-1号和贵黑米苦荞12号)、2个多苦荞(F.tatari-cymosum,贵多苦荞003C和贵多苦荞60)、2个甜荞(F.esculentum,贵红花甜荞2号和1412-1)、2个常规苦荞(F.tataricum,定苦荞1号和六苦2017)为材料。对其成熟期种子果壳和籽粒进行了黄曲霉分离鉴定,并采用高效液相色谱法对所有品种果壳和籽粒中分离出的黄曲霉菌株进行AFB₁、AFB₂、AFG₁和AFG₂毒素的检测。结果表明,所有品种果壳中均没有分离出黄曲霉菌落;4类荞麦籽粒中仅米苦荞分离出了黄曲霉菌落,共分离出4株黄曲霉菌株。其中贵米苦荞18-1号黄曲霉带菌率为1.56%,贵黑米苦荞12号黄曲霉带菌率为0.78%。分离菌株形态学和ITS序列扩增产物测序结果与已知黄曲霉菌序列完全一致。毒素检测结果表明不同品种之间产毒素差异显著,所有品种籽粒中只有米苦荞中检出4种毒素,贵米苦荞18-1号产AFB₁最高为(5.861±0.055) μg/kg、AFB₂最少为(1.605±0.052) μg/kg,贵黑米苦荞12号产AFB₁最高为(14.475±0.533) μg/kg、AFG₂最少为(3.393±0.151) μg/kg;籽粒产毒量远大于分离菌株产毒量;各分离出菌株之间产毒素能力差异显著,最大产AFT为(11.102±0.095) μg/kg、最小产AFT为(1.794±0.024) μg/kg。上述结果显示供试米苦荞籽粒带菌来源可能是由于果壳开裂籽粒外露后部分籽粒被直接侵染所致。所得结果可为米苦荞中黄曲霉抗性育种研究及荞麦种子的保存、运输、储藏等研究奠定基础。     

Aflatoxin reduction in corn through field application of competitive fungi.

Soil in corn plots was inoculated with nonaflatoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus during crop years 1994 to 1997 to determine the effect of application of the nontoxigenic strains on preharvest aflatoxin contamination of corn. Corn plots in a separate part of the field were not inoculated and served as controls. Inoculation resulted in significant increases in the total A. flavus/parasiticus soil population in treated plots, and that population was dominated by the applied strain of A. parasiticus (NRRL 21369). In the years when weather conditions favored aflatoxin contamination (1996 and 1997), corn was predominately colonized by A. flavus as opposed to A. parasiticus. In 1996, colonization by wild-type A. flavus was significantly reduced in treated plots compared with control plots, but total A. flavus/parasiticus colonization was not different between the two groups. A change to a more aggressive strain of A. flavus (NRRL 21882) as part of the biocontrol inoculum in 1997 resulted in a significantly (P < 0.001) higher colonization of corn by the applied strain. Weather conditions did not favor aflatoxin contamination in 1994 and 1995. In 1996, the aflatoxin concentration in corn from treated plots averaged 24.0 ppb, a reduction of 87% compared with the aflatoxin in control plots that averaged 188.4 ppb. In 1997, aflatoxin was reduced by 66% in treated corn (29.8 ppb) compared with control corn (87.5 ppb). Together, the data indicated that although the applied strain of A. parasiticus dominated in the soil, the nonaflatoxigenic strains of A. flavus were more responsible for the observed reductions in aflatoxin contamination. Inclusion of a nonaflatoxigenic strain of A. parasiticus in a biological control formulation for aflatoxin contamination may not be as important for airborne crops, such as corn, as for soilborne crops, such as peanuts.     

Influence of gamma-irradiation and maize lipids on the production of aflatoxin B1 by Aspergillus flavus

The effect of gamma-irradiation and maize lipids on aflatoxin B1 production by Aspergillus flavus artificially inoculated into sterilized maize at reduced water activity (aw 0.84) was investigated. By increasing the irradiation doses the total viable population of A. flavus decreased and the fungus was completely inhibited at 3.0 kGy. The amounts of aflatoxin B1 were enhanced at irradiation dose levels 1.0 and 1.5 kGy in both full-fat maize (FM) and defatted maize (DM) media and no aflatoxin B1 production at 3.0 kGy gamma-irradiation over 45 days of storage was observed. The level in free lipids of FM decreased gradually, whereas free fatty acid values and fungal lipase activity increased markedly by increasing the storage periods. The free fatty acid values decreased by increasing the irradiation dose levels and there was a significant enhancement of fungal lipase activity at doses of 1.0 and 1.50 kGy. The ability of A. flavus to grow at aw 0.84 and produce aflatoxin B1 is related to the lipid composition of maize. The enhancement of aflatoxin B1 at low doses was correlated to the enhancement of fungal lipase activity.