Skip to main content
Log in

The genetics of phytotoxin production by plant pathogenic fungi

  • Multi-author Review
  • Published:
Experientia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Little is known about the genetic control of phytotoxin production by plant pathogenic fungi. The production of host-selective toxins known to play a role in disease development has been genetically analyzed in three species ofCochliobolus. InC. heterostrophus, a single genetic locus with two alleles has been identified controlling the production of HMT-toxin. This locus appears to be at or near the breakpoint of a chromosome rearrangement. Single genetic loci have also been identified controlling the production of HC-toxin byC. carbonum and HV-toxin byC. victoriae. The locus inC. carbonum may be a cluster of tightly linked genes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Beremand, M. N., Isolation and characterization of mutants blocked in T-2 toxin biosynthesis. Appl. envir. Microbiol.53 (1987) 1855–1859.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Bronson, C. R., Ascospore abortion in crosses ofCochliobolus heterostrophus heterozygous for the virulence locusTox1. Genome30 (1988) 12–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bronson, C. R., Taga, M., and Yoder, O. C., Genetic control and distorted segregation of T-toxin production in field isolates ofCochliobolus heterostrophus. Phytopathology80 (1990) 819–823.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Desjardins, A. E., Spencer, G. F., Plattner, R. D., and Beremand, M. N., Furanocoumarin phytoalexins, trichothecene toxins, and infection ofPastinaca sativa byFusarium sporotrichioides. Phytopathology79 (1989) 170–175.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Dewey, R. E., Siedow, J. N., Timothy, D. H., and Levings III, C. S., A 13-kilodalton maize mitochondrial protein inE. coli confers sensitivity toBipolaris maydis toxin. Science239 (1988) 293–295.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Klittich, C. J. R., and Bronson, C. R., Reduced fitness associated withTOX1 ofCochliobolus heterostrophus. Phytopathology76 (1986) 1294–1298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Kono, Y., Knoche, H. W., and Daly, J. M., Structure: fungal host-specific, in: Toxins in Plant Disease, pp. 221–257. Ed. R. D. Durbin. Academic Press, New York 1981.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  8. Leach, J., Lang, B. R. and Yoder, O. C., Methods for selection of mutants andin vitro culture ofCochliobolus heterostrophus. J. gen. Microbiol.128 (1982) 1719–1729.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Leach, J., Tegtmeier, K. J., Daly, J. M., and Yoder, O. C., Dominance at theTox1 locus controlling T-toxin production byCochliobolus heterostrophus. Physiol. Plant Path.21 (1982) 327–333.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Leonard, K. J., Virulence, temperature optima, and competitive abilities of isolines of races T and O ofBipolaris maydis. Phytopathology67 (1977) 1273–1279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Leonard, K. J., The host population as a selective factor, in: Populations of Plant Pathogens: their Dynamics and Genetics, pp. 163–179. Eds M. S. Wolfe and C. E. Caten. Blackwell, Oxford 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Lim, S. M., and Hooker, A. L., Southern corn leaf blight: genetic control of pathogenicity and toxin production in race T and race O ofCochliobolus heterostrophus. Genetics69 (1971) 115–117.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Nelson, R. R., Scheffer, R. P., and Pringle, R. B., Genetic control of toxin production inHelmmthosporium victoriae. Phytopathology53 (1963) 385–387.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Nishimura, S., and Kohmoto, K., Host-specific toxins and chemical structures fromAlternaria species. A. Rev. Phytopath.21 (1983) 87–116.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Panopoulos, N. J., and Staskawicz, B. J., Genetics of production, in: Toxins in Plant Disease, pp. 79–107. Ed. R. D. Durbin. Academic Press, New York 1981.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  16. Rines, H. W., and Luke, H. H., Selection and regeneration of toxin-insensitive plants from tissue cultures of oats (Avena sativa) susceptible toHelminthosporium victoriae. Theor. appl. Genet.71 (1985) 16–21.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Schafer, W., Straney, D., Ciuffetti, L., Van Etten, H. D., and Yoder, O. C., One enzyme makes a fungal pathogen, but not a saprophyte, virulent on a new host. Science246 (1989) 247–249.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Scheffer, R. P., Toxins as chemical determinants of plant disease, in: Toxins in Plant Pathogenesis, pp. 1–40. Eds J. M. Daly and B. J. Deverall. Academic Press, New York 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Scheffer, R. P., Nelson, R. R., and Pringle, R. B., Toxin production and pathogenicity inHelminthosporium victoriae. Phytopathology54 (1964) 602–603.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Scheffer, R. P., Nelson, R. R., and Ullstrup, A. J., Inheritance of toxin production and pathogenicity inCochliobolus carbonum andCochliobolus victoriae. Phytopathology57 (1967) 1288–1291.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Smalley, E. B., and Strong, F. M.: Toxic trichothecenes, in: Mycotoxins, pp. 199–228. Ed. I. F. H. Purchase. Elsevier, Amsterdam 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Taga, M., Bronson, C. R., and Yoder, O. C., Nonrandom abortion of ascospores containing alternate alleles at theTox-1 locus of the fungal plant pathogenCochliobolus heterostrophus. Can. J. Genet. Cytol.27 (1985) 450–456.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Tegtmeier, K. J., Daly, J. M., and Yoder, O. C., T-toxin production by near-isogenic isolates ofCochliobolus heterostrophus races T and O. Phytopathology72 (1982) 1492–1495.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Tsuge, T., Hayashi, N., and Nishimura, S., Selection of auxotrophic mutants and heterokaryosis inAlternaria alternata. Ann. Phytopath. Soc. Japan53 (1987) 182–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Tsuge, T., and Kobayashi, H., Molecular analysis of genes for pathogenicity ofAlternaria alternata Japanese pear pathotype. a host-specific toxin producer, in: Molecular Strategies of Pathogens and Host Plants, pp. 119–129. Eds S. S. Patil, S. Ouchi, D. Mills and C. Vance. Springer-Verlag, New York 1991.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  26. Turgeon, B. G., Garber, R. C., and Yoder, O. C., Transformation of the fungal maize pathogenCochliobolus heterostrophus using theAspegillus nidulans amdS gene. Molec. gen. Genet.201 (1985) 450–453.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Turgeon, B. G., Garber, R. C., and Yoder, O. C., Development of a fungal transformation system based on selection of sequences with promoter activity. Molec. cell. Biol.7 (1987) 3297–3305.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Tzeng, T., A restriction fragment length polymorphism map ofCochliobolus heterostrophus. PhD Dissertation. Iowa State University, 1990.

  29. Walton, J. D., Two enzymes involved in biosynthesis of the host-selective phytotoxin HC-toxin. Proc. natl Acad. Sci. USA84 (1987) 8444–8447.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Walton, J. D., and Holden, F. R., Properties of two enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of the fungal pathogenicity factor HC-toxin. Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact1 (1988) 128–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Wei, J.-K., Liu, K.-M., Chen, J.-P., Luo, P.-C., and Lee-Stadelmann, O. Y., Pathological and physiological identification of race C ofBipolaris maydis in China. Phytopathology78 (1988) 550–554.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Yoder, O. C., Evaluation of the role ofHelminthosporium maydis race T toxin in southern corn leaf blight, in: Biochemistry and Cytology of Plant Parasite Interaction, pp. 16–24. Eds K. Tomiyama, J. M. Daly, I. Uritani, H. Oku and S. Ouchi. Elsevier, Amsterdam 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Yoder, O. C., Toxins in pathogenesis. A. Rev. Phytopath.18 (1980) 103–129.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Yoder, O. C., Use of pathogen-produced toxins in genetic engineering of plants and pathogens. in: Basic Life Sciences, vol. 26, Genetic Engineering of Plants: An Agricultural Perspective, pp. 335–353. Eds T. Kosuge, C. P. Meredith and A. Hollaender. Plenum Press, New York 1983.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  35. Yoder, O. C.,Cochliobolus heterostrophus, cause of southern corn leaf blight, in: Genetics of Plant Pathogenic Fungi, pp. 93–112. Ed. G. S. Sidhu. Advances in Plant Pathology, vol. 6. Academic Press, New York 1988.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  36. Yoder, O. C. and Gracen, V. E., Segregation of pathogenicity types and host-specific toxin production in progenies of crosses between races T and O ofHelminthosporium maydis (Cochliobolus heterostrophus). Phytopathology65 (1975) 273–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Yoder, O. C., Payne, G. A., Gregory, P., and Gracen, V. E., Bioassays for detection and quantification ofHelminthosporium maydis race T-toxin: a comparison. Physiol. Plant Path.10 (1977) 237–245.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Yoder, O. C., Turgeon, B. G., Ciuffetti, L. M., and Schafer, W., Genetic analysis of toxin production by fungi, in: Phytotoxins and Plant Pathogenesis, pp. 43–60. Eds A. Graniti, R. D. Durbin and A. Ballio. Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1989.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bronson, C.R. The genetics of phytotoxin production by plant pathogenic fungi. Experientia 47, 771–776 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01922456

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01922456

Key words

Navigation