Contribution of Maize Polyamine and Amino Acid Metabolism Toward Resistance Against Aspergillus flavus Infection and Aflatoxin Production
Polyamines (PAs) are ubiquitous polycations found in plants and other organisms that are essential for growth, development, and resistance against abiotic and biotic stresses. The role of PAs in plant disease resistance depends on the relative abundance of higher PAs [spermidine (Spd), spermine (Spm...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2019.00692/full |
| _version_ | 1818493166466105344 |
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| author | Rajtilak Majumdar Rakesh Minocha Matthew D. Lebar Kanniah Rajasekaran Stephanie Long Carol Carter-Wientjes Subhash Minocha Jeffrey W. Cary |
| author_facet | Rajtilak Majumdar Rakesh Minocha Matthew D. Lebar Kanniah Rajasekaran Stephanie Long Carol Carter-Wientjes Subhash Minocha Jeffrey W. Cary |
| author_sort | Rajtilak Majumdar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Polyamines (PAs) are ubiquitous polycations found in plants and other organisms that are essential for growth, development, and resistance against abiotic and biotic stresses. The role of PAs in plant disease resistance depends on the relative abundance of higher PAs [spermidine (Spd), spermine (Spm)] vs. the diamine putrescine (Put) and PA catabolism. With respect to the pathogen, PAs are required to achieve successful pathogenesis of the host. Maize is an important food and feed crop, which is highly susceptible to Aspergillus flavus infection. Upon infection, the fungus produces carcinogenic aflatoxins and numerous other toxic secondary metabolites that adversely affect human health and crop value worldwide. To evaluate the role of PAs in aflatoxin resistance in maize, in vitro kernel infection assays were performed using maize lines that are susceptible (SC212) or resistant (TZAR102, MI82) to aflatoxin production. Results indicated significant induction of both PA biosynthetic and catabolic genes upon A. flavus infection. As compared to the susceptible line, the resistant maize lines showed higher basal expression of PA metabolism genes in mock-inoculated kernels that increased upon fungal infection. In general, increased biosynthesis and conversion of Put to Spd and Spm along with their increased catabolism was evident in the resistant lines vs. the susceptible line SC212. There were higher concentrations of amino acids such as glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gln) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in SC212. The resistant lines were significantly lower in fungal load and aflatoxin production as compared to the susceptible line. The data presented here demonstrate an important role of PA metabolism in the resistance of maize to A. flavus colonization and aflatoxin contamination. These results provide future direction for the manipulation of PA metabolism in susceptible maize genotypes to improve aflatoxin resistance and overall stress tolerance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T17:51:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8f01ffc105ff411e8c40c9359c0dd78d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T17:51:38Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-8f01ffc105ff411e8c40c9359c0dd78d2022-12-22T01:39:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2019-05-011010.3389/fpls.2019.00692453984Contribution of Maize Polyamine and Amino Acid Metabolism Toward Resistance Against Aspergillus flavus Infection and Aflatoxin ProductionRajtilak Majumdar0Rakesh Minocha1Matthew D. Lebar2Kanniah Rajasekaran3Stephanie Long4Carol Carter-Wientjes5Subhash Minocha6Jeffrey W. Cary7Food and Feed Safety Research Unit, Southern Regional Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, New Orleans, LA, United StatesUnited States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Durham, NH, United StatesFood and Feed Safety Research Unit, Southern Regional Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, New Orleans, LA, United StatesFood and Feed Safety Research Unit, Southern Regional Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, New Orleans, LA, United StatesUnited States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Durham, NH, United StatesFood and Feed Safety Research Unit, Southern Regional Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, New Orleans, LA, United StatesDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United StatesFood and Feed Safety Research Unit, Southern Regional Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, New Orleans, LA, United StatesPolyamines (PAs) are ubiquitous polycations found in plants and other organisms that are essential for growth, development, and resistance against abiotic and biotic stresses. The role of PAs in plant disease resistance depends on the relative abundance of higher PAs [spermidine (Spd), spermine (Spm)] vs. the diamine putrescine (Put) and PA catabolism. With respect to the pathogen, PAs are required to achieve successful pathogenesis of the host. Maize is an important food and feed crop, which is highly susceptible to Aspergillus flavus infection. Upon infection, the fungus produces carcinogenic aflatoxins and numerous other toxic secondary metabolites that adversely affect human health and crop value worldwide. To evaluate the role of PAs in aflatoxin resistance in maize, in vitro kernel infection assays were performed using maize lines that are susceptible (SC212) or resistant (TZAR102, MI82) to aflatoxin production. Results indicated significant induction of both PA biosynthetic and catabolic genes upon A. flavus infection. As compared to the susceptible line, the resistant maize lines showed higher basal expression of PA metabolism genes in mock-inoculated kernels that increased upon fungal infection. In general, increased biosynthesis and conversion of Put to Spd and Spm along with their increased catabolism was evident in the resistant lines vs. the susceptible line SC212. There were higher concentrations of amino acids such as glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gln) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in SC212. The resistant lines were significantly lower in fungal load and aflatoxin production as compared to the susceptible line. The data presented here demonstrate an important role of PA metabolism in the resistance of maize to A. flavus colonization and aflatoxin contamination. These results provide future direction for the manipulation of PA metabolism in susceptible maize genotypes to improve aflatoxin resistance and overall stress tolerance.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2019.00692/fullAspergillus flavuss-adenosylmethionine decarboxylasepolyamine oxidasemycotoxinpolyamine uptakeamino acids |
| spellingShingle | Rajtilak Majumdar Rakesh Minocha Matthew D. Lebar Kanniah Rajasekaran Stephanie Long Carol Carter-Wientjes Subhash Minocha Jeffrey W. Cary Contribution of Maize Polyamine and Amino Acid Metabolism Toward Resistance Against Aspergillus flavus Infection and Aflatoxin Production Frontiers in Plant Science Aspergillus flavus s-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase polyamine oxidase mycotoxin polyamine uptake amino acids |
| title | Contribution of Maize Polyamine and Amino Acid Metabolism Toward Resistance Against Aspergillus flavus Infection and Aflatoxin Production |
| title_full | Contribution of Maize Polyamine and Amino Acid Metabolism Toward Resistance Against Aspergillus flavus Infection and Aflatoxin Production |
| title_fullStr | Contribution of Maize Polyamine and Amino Acid Metabolism Toward Resistance Against Aspergillus flavus Infection and Aflatoxin Production |
| title_full_unstemmed | Contribution of Maize Polyamine and Amino Acid Metabolism Toward Resistance Against Aspergillus flavus Infection and Aflatoxin Production |
| title_short | Contribution of Maize Polyamine and Amino Acid Metabolism Toward Resistance Against Aspergillus flavus Infection and Aflatoxin Production |
| title_sort | contribution of maize polyamine and amino acid metabolism toward resistance against aspergillus flavus infection and aflatoxin production |
| topic | Aspergillus flavus s-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase polyamine oxidase mycotoxin polyamine uptake amino acids |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2019.00692/full |
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