title: Genetic and genomic dissection of the Cochliobolus heterostrophus Tox1 locus controlling biosynthesis of the polyketide virulence factor T-toxin.
abstract: Fungal pathogenesis to plants is an intricate developmental process requiring biological components found in most fungi, as well as factors that are unique to fungal taxa that participate in particular fungus-plant interactions. The host-selective polyketide toxin known as T-toxin produced by Cochliobolus heterostrophus race T, a highly virulent pathogen of maize, is an intriguing example of the latter type of virulence determinant. The Tox1 locus, which controls biosynthesis of T-toxin, originally defined as a single genetic locus, it is, in fact, two exceedingly complex loci on two chromosomes that are reciprocally translocated with respect to their counterparts in weakly pathogenic race O. Race O lacks the Tox1 locus and does not produce T-toxin. Highly virulent race T was first recognized when it caused an epidemic of Southern Corn Leaf Blight, which devastated the US corn crop in 1970. The evolutionary origin of the Tox1 locus remains unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
authors.forename: B Gillian
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Turgeon
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D001203:Ascomycota / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D008954:Models, Biological; D005810:Multigene Family; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D010802:Phylogeny; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D003313:Zea mays / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D009183:Mycotoxins; C091329:Tox1 protein, Cochliobolus heterostrophus