Toxins and food safety, - fungal genes as a potential tool to predict the content of zearalenone

The plant pathogenic fungi Fusarium spp. are known to produce a range of mycotoxins. Correct identification and quantification of mycotoxinproducing fusarium species will give an indication of the amount of mycotoxins that can be expected to be present in the cereal sample. A rapid, sensitive and reproducible diagnostic method will be needs to be able to take the necessary precautions in order to reduce the amount of mycotoxins in cereals used as animal feed or human food. The main goal of this project is to establish necessary genetic knowledge, in order to later be able to develop methods for identification and quantification of Fusarium spp. that produce zearalenone mycotoxins. DNA-based methods have been shown to have the potential to be the method of choice for a rapid screening of many samples. We will clone and sequence the genes involved in the synthesis of the mycotoxin zearalenone and its derivatives. Two alternative strategies will be used. The genes involved are induced by low temperatures. We will use differential display to isolate gene fragments that is up-regulalted at low temperatures. Alternatively, we will clone putative genes by the help of already sequenced cDNAs homologous to enzymes in the acetate.malonyl-coenzym e A enzyme system. enced cDNAs homologous to enzymes in the acetate.malonyl-coenzym