• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제22권3호
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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.