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Short review: Metabolism of theFusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in plants

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Abstract

Plants have a high capacity to transform and thereby detoxify deleterious or poisonous compounds, like mycotoxins. The formation of glucose conjugates has a central role in this process. Mammals, however, are able to (partly) release the precursor substances during digestion, reactivating the mycotoxins. This short review provides a brief summary about the metabolism of theFusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in plants. Two examples are discussed in greater detail. First, the formation of deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside in wheat is linked to a quantitative trait locus that is often used forFusarium head blight resistance breeding. Secondly, the metabolism of zearalenone inArabidopsis thaliana results in at least 17 different metabolites, all of which are potentially hazardous for humans and animals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Christian Doppler Laboratory for Mycotoxin Research, Department of Agrobiotechnology (IFA-Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Straβe 20, 3430, Vienna, Tulln, Austria

    F. Berthiller, R. Krska & R. Schuhmacher

  2. Institute for Biotechnology in Plant Production, Department of Agrobiotechnology (IFA-Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Straβe 20, 3430, Vienna, Tulln, Austria

    M. Lemmens

  3. Institute of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Plant Sciences and Plant Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    U. Werner, M. T. Hauser & G. Adam

Authors
  1. F. Berthiller
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  2. M. Lemmens
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  3. U. Werner
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  4. R. Krska
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  5. M. T. Hauser
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  6. G. Adam
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  7. R. Schuhmacher
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Krska.

Additional information

Financial support: Christian Doppler Society, the Austrian Genome Research Initiative GEN-AU, the Lower Austrian government, the Austrian Science Fund FWF

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Berthiller, F., Lemmens, M., Werner, U. et al. Short review: Metabolism of theFusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in plants. Mycotox Res 23, 68–72 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02946028

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02946028

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