Trichothecenes in Cereal Grains – an Update
Citation
Foroud NA, Baines D, Gagkaeva TY, Thakor N, Badea A, Steiner B, Bürstmayr M, Bürstmayr H. 2019. Trichothecenes in cereal grains—an update. Toxins 11:634
Plain language summary
Trichothecenes are mycotoxins produced by specific groups of fungi, including members of the Fusarium genus. Many of Fusarium species that produce trichothecenes infect cereal grain crops, causing Fusarium head blight disease. Their toxins contaminate host tissues and pose a health risk to human and animal consumers of infected cereal grains. Fusarium head blight is one of the most devastating diseases of grain cereals leading to staggering losses in crop and livestock production. In 2009, Foroud and Eudes published a review called 'Trichothecenes in Cereal Grains' in the International Journal of Molecular Science. Since then significant progress and successes have been achieved towards overcoming this problem with a focus on the harmful trichothecene mycotoxins produced by Fusarium species. The work herein provides a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary review of the Fusarium trichothecenes covering topics in chemistry and biochemistry, pathogen biology, trichothecene toxicity, molecular mechanisms of resistance or detoxification, genetics of resistance and breeding strategies to reduce their contamination of wheat and barley.
Abstract
Trichothecenes are sesquiterpenoid mycotoxins produced by fungi from the order Hypocreales, including members of the Fusarium genus that infect cereal grain crops. Different trichothecene-producing Fusarium species and strains have different trichothecene chemotypes belonging to the Type A and B class. These fungi cause a disease of small grain cereals, called Fusarium head blight, and their toxins contaminate host tissues. As potent inhibitors of eukaryotic protein synthesis, trichothecenes pose a health risk to human and animal consumers of infected cereal grains. In 2009, Foroud and Eudes published a review of trichothecenes in cereal grains for human consumption. As an update to this review, the work herein provides a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary review of the Fusarium trichothecenes covering topics in chemistry and biochemistry, pathogen biology, trichothecene toxicity, molecular mechanisms of resistance or detoxification, genetics of resistance and breeding strategies to reduce their contamination of wheat and barley.