Phylogenetic relations within Aspergillus parasiticus imply host adaptation and global transport of aflatoxin-producing fungi

Aflatoxin contamination of food and feed is an economic and health concern worldwide. In the U.S., active enforcement of maximum allowable aflatoxin levels for consumer protection can eliminate profit from crops including maize and cotton if aflatoxin is detected at concentrations of 20 parts per bi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Phytopathology 2010-06, Vol.100 (6), p.S39-S39
Main Authors: Garber, N, Grubisha, L C, Ortega-Beltran, A, Probst, C, Cotty, P J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arachis hypogaea
Aspergillus flavus
Aspergillus parasiticus
Saccharum
Zea mays
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Summary:Aflatoxin contamination of food and feed is an economic and health concern worldwide. In the U.S., active enforcement of maximum allowable aflatoxin levels for consumer protection can eliminate profit from crops including maize and cotton if aflatoxin is detected at concentrations of 20 parts per billion or greater. In countries with no aflatoxin-monitoring, human consumption of aflatoxins can result in aflatoxicosis with symptoms that range from immune system suppression to death. Two species in Aspergillus section Flavi are responsible for most aflatoxin contamination events: A. flams and A. parasiticus. A. flavus communities span large geographic areas and associate with multiple crops, while A. parasiticus communities are discrete and commonly associated with few crops. In order to relate community structure to geography, host, and aflatoxin contamination risk, microsatellite loci and portions of multiple genes were amplified from A. parasiticus associated with peanut, maize, sugarcane and mixed cropping systems in North America, Asia and Africa. Phylogenetic analyses yielded multiple concordant gene trees whose topologies identify A. parasiticus lineages both associated with maize and peanut cropping worldwide, and a putative new species with an ancient, global and almost exclusive association with sugarcane (Saccharum cultivars). Population structure will be discussed as it relates to host preference, genetic diversity and geographic dispersal of A. parasiticus.
ISSN:0031-949X