• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.698-699
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• 2005

Levels of fumonisins, mycotoxins produced by fungal species, must be accurately and rapidly monitored to ensure food safety. In this study, using surface plasmon resonance sensor, a batch-type biosensor was fabricated to detect fumonisin $B_1$. By applying this biosensor to fumonisin $B_1$ solutions of 0 to 6 ppm, a significant calibration model was developed for measurement. Coefficient of determination in regression analysis for the model was 0.920. Results indicate that detection of fumonisin $B_1$ by surface plasmon resonance biosensor was highly feasible.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.334-342
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• 2015

Two fumonisin-nonproducing strains of Fusarium verticillioides and their fumonisin producing progenitors were tested for aggressiveness toward maize, sorghum, rice, and beetroot seedlings grown under greenhouse conditions. None of the plants showed obvious disease symptoms after root dip inoculation. Fungal biomass was determined by species-specific real-time PCR. No significant (P = 0.05) differences in systemic colonization were detected between the wild type strains and mutants not producing fumonisins. F. verticillioides was not detected in any of the non-inoculated control plants. The fungus grew from roots to the first two internodes/leaves of maize, rice and beet regardless of fumonisin production. The systemic growth of F. verticillioides in sorghum was limited. The results showed that fumonisin production was not required for the infection of roots of maize, rice and beet by F. verticillioides.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.110.1-110.1
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• 2003

Fumonisins are specific inhibitors of ceramide synthase in sphingolipid metabolism. Sphingolipids are biologically active lipid mediators in cellular physiology and involved in cell signaling, growth, transformation, angiogenesis and differentiation. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of fumonisin B1 on $Na^+, \;K^+$-pump activity when fumonisin B1 was exposed to LLC-PK1 cells. Fumonisin B1 elevated free sphingoid bases and their 1-phosphates, while total complex sphingolipids were depleted at 20$\mu$M fumonisin B1 during the 3 day exposure. (omitted)

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.203-210
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• 2006

Fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins produced by a pathogen Fusarium verticillioides in infected maize kernels. Consumption of fumonisin-contaminated maize has been implicated in a number of animal and human illnesses, including esophageal cancer and neural tube defects. Since the initial discovery, chemistry, toxicology, and biology of fumonisins as well as the maize-Fusarium pathosystem have been extensively studied. Furthermore, in the past decade, significant progress has been made in terms of understanding the molecular biology of toxin biosynthetic genes. However, there is a critical gap in our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms involved in fumonisin biosynthesis. Here, we review and discuss our current knowledge about the molecular mechanisms by which fumonisin biosynthesis is regulated in F. verticillioides. In addition, we discuss the impact of maize kernel environment, particularly sugar and lipid molecules, on fumonisin biosynthesis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.648-657
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• 2008

In this study, we used functional genomic strategies, proteomics and quantitative real-time (qRT)-PCR, to advance our understanding of genes associated with fumonisin production in the fungus Fusarium verticillioides. Earlier studies have demonstrated that deletion of the FCC1 gene, which encodes a C-type cyclin, leads to a drastic reduction in fumonisin production and conidiation in the mutant strain (FT536). The premise of our research was that comparative analysis of F. verticillioides wild-type and FT536 proteomes will reveal putative proteins, and ultimately corresponding genes, that are important for fumonisin biosynthesis. We isolated proteins that were significantly upregulated in either the wild type or FT536 via two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and subsequently obtained sequences by mass spectrometry. Homologs of identified proteins, e.g., carboxypeptidase, laccase, and nitrogen metabolite repression protein, are known to have functions involved in fungal secondary metabolism and development. We also identified gene sequences corresponding to the selected proteins and investigated their transcriptional profiles via quantitative real-time (qRT)-PCR in order to identify genes that show concomitant expression patterns during fumonisin biosynthesis. These genes can be selected as targets for functional analysis to further verify their roles in $FB_1$ biosynthesis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.875-879
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• 1999

Eighty corn samples, which imported from U.S.A between 1995 and 1996, were analyzed for fumonisin $B_{1}\;(FB_{1})$ and $B_{2}\;(FB_{2})$ contamination. The total fumonisin level and mean from 80 imported samples showed 0(limited detection level)-$65.9\;{\mu}g/g$ mgand $6.9\;{\mu}g/g$, respectively. $FB_{1}$ was detect in 57 (71.3%) from 80 samples at the concentrations ranging from 0 to $48.8\;{\mu}g/g$, while $FB_{2}$ was detected in 49(61.3%) at concentrations ranging from 0 to $17.1\;{\mu}g/g$. The total fumonisin incidence analyzed from 80 samples were 37.5%, 42.6 and 19.9% for concentrations ranging from below $1\;{\mu}g/g$, between 1.1 and $10\;{\mu}g/g$ and above $30\;{\mu}g/g$, respectively. The total fumonisin level containing below $1\;{\mu}g/g$ from samples imported in 1995 and 1996 was 47.7% (21/44) and 29.4 (10/34), while total fumonisin level containing above $10{\mu}g/g$ was 47.77% (21/44) and 29.4 (10/34), respectively. In the meanwhile, the fumonisin $B_{1}$ and $B_{2}$ containing below $1\;{\mu}g/g$ from 80 samples imported between 1995 and 1996 was 38.8% and 67.5%, while fumonisin $B_{1}$ and $B_{2}$ containing above $10{\mu}g/g$ was 12.5% and 5%, respectively.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.369-375
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• 2011

Fusarium verticillioides (teleomorph: Gibberella moniliformis), a member of the Gibberellea fujikuroi species complex, causes rots of corn stalks and ears, and produces a group of mycotoxins known as fumonisins that are harmful to animals and humans. Here, we focus on the development of a species-specific PCR primer set for differentiating F. verticillioides from other fumonisin-producing Fusarium species belonging to the species complex, such as F. proliferatum, F. fujikuroi, and F. subglutinans that are frequently associated with corn. The specific primers (RVERT1 and RVERT2) derived from the nucleotide sequences of RNA polymerase II beta subunit (RPB2) gene amplified a 208 bp-DNA fragment from only F. verticillioides isolates among the potential fumonisin-producing species examined; all of these isolates were shown to carry FUM1 required for fumonisin biosynthesis. The PCR detection limit using this specific primer set was approximately 0.125 pg/${\mu}l$ genomic DNA of F. verticillioides. In addition, the F. verticillioides-specfic fragment was successfully amplified from genomic DNAs of corn samples contaminated with Fusarium spp. This primer set would provide a useful tool for the detection and differentiation of potential fumonisin-producing F. verticillioides strains in cereal samples.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.809-814
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• 1995

The acute and subacute toxicity of fumomsin $B_1$ was evaluted in fingerlings of common carp, Cyprinus carpio. Dipping of fish for acute toxicity was performed for a period of 48 hours, and the $TLm_{48h}$ value(median tolerance limit) was more than 1000 ppm in common carp. Severe damages were observed in various organs and among them, clubbing of gill lamella, lytic degeneration and vacuolation of liver cells, and epithelial edema of renal tubules were relatively prominent. The most significant changes were hyperbasophilic foci of liver cells in subacute toxicity test and these can imply the possibility of hepatocarcinogenecity of fumonisin $B_1$.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.470-476
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate and evaluate the safety of the grains, nut products, beans and oilseeds being sold in Gyeonggi province by analyzing mycotoxins. A multi-mycotoxins analysis method based on LC-MS/MS was validated and applied for the determination of eight mycotoxins, including aflatoxins ($B_1$, $B_2$, $G_1$ and $G_2$), fumonisins ($B_1$, $B_2$), zearalenone and ochratoxcin A in 134 samples. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) for the eight mycotoxins ranged from 0.14 to $8.25{\mu}g/kg$ and from 1.08 to $7.21{\mu}g/kg$, respectively. Recovery rates of mycotoxins were determined in the range of 61.1 to 97.5% with RSD of 1.0~14.5% (n=3). Fumonisin $B_1$, $B_2$, zearalenone, and ochratoxin A were detected in 22 samples, indicating that 27% of grains, 12.5% of beans and 11.8% of oilseeds were contaminated. Fumonisin and zearalenone were detected simultaneously in 2 adlays and 3 sorghums. Fumonisin $B_1$ and $B_2$ were detected simultaneously in most samples whereas fumonisin $B_1$ was detected in 1 adlay, 1 millet and 1 sesame sample. The average detected amount of fumonisin was $49.3{\mu}g/kg$ and $10.1{\mu}g/kg$ for grains and oilseeds, respectively. The average detected amount of zearalenone was $1.9{\mu}g/kg$ and $1.5{\mu}g/kg$ for grains and beans, respectively. In addition, the average amount of ochratoxin A was $0.08{\mu}g/kg$ for grains. The calculated exposure amounts of fumonisin, zeralenone and ochratoxin A for grains, beans and oilseeds were below the PMTDI/PTWI.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.209-216
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• 2014

The efficiency of gamma irradiation (0, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 kGy) as a sterilization method of corn samples (30 g) artificially contaminated with Fusarium moniliforme stored at normal condition ($25^{\circ}C$ with approximate relative humidity (RH) of 55%) and optimal condition ($25^{\circ}C$ with a controlled RH of 97%) was studied. The results showed that the fungal growth and the amount of fumonisin were decreased as the dose of gamma irradiation increased. Gamma irradiation at 1-5 kGy treatment significantly inhibited the growth of F. moniliforme by 1-2 log reduction on corn samples (P < 0.05). Sublethal effect of gamma irradiation was observed at 10-20 kGy doses after storage, and a complete inactivation required 30 kGy. Fungal growth and fumonisin production increased with higher humidity and longer storage time in all corn samples. This study also demonstrated that there was no strict correlation between fungal growth and fumonisin production. Storage at normal condition significantly resulted in lower growth and fumonisin production of F. moniliforme as compared with those stored at optimal condition (P < 0.05). Gamma irradiation with the dose of ${\geq}5$ kGy followed by storage at normal condition successfully prolonged the shelf life of irradiated corns, intended for human and animal consumptions, up to 7 weeks.