title: Variation in Growth, Colonization of Maize, and Metabolic Parameters of GFP- and DsRed-Labeled Fusarium verticillioides Strains.
abstract: Autofluorescent proteins are frequently applied as visual markers in the labeling of filamentous fungi. Genes gfp and DsRed were transformed into the genome of Fusarium verticillioides via the Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation method. The selected transformants displayed a bright green or red fluorescence in all the organelles of the growing fungal mycelia and spores (except for the vacuoles) both in cultures and in the maize (Zea mays) roots they colonized. The results of gene-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis and the thermal asymmetrical interlaced (TAIL)-PCR analysis demonstrated that gfp and DsRed were integrated on different chromosomes of the fungus. Reductions in the colony growth on the plates at pH 4.0 and 5.5 was observed for the green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transformant G3 and the DsRed-transformant R4, but transformants G4 and R1 grew as well as the wild-type strain at pH 4.0. The speed of growth of all the transformants was similar to the wild-type strain at pH ≥ 7. The insertion of gfp and DsRed did not alter the production of extracellular enzymes and fumonisin B by F. verticillioides. The transformants expressing GFP and DsRed proteins were able to colonize maize roots. However, the four transformants examined produced fewer CFU in the root samples than the wild-type strain during a sampling period of 7 to 28 days after inoculation.
authors.affiliation: First, third, and fifth authors: The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement/Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081; second author: Morden Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden, Manitoba R6M 1Y5, Canada; and fourth author: Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: First, third, and fifth authors: The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement/Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081; second author: Morden Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden, Manitoba R6M 1Y5, Canada; and fourth author: Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Conner
authors.affiliation: First, third, and fifth authors: The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement/Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081; second author: Morden Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden, Manitoba R6M 1Y5, Canada; and fourth author: Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: First, third, and fifth authors: The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement/Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081; second author: Morden Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden, Manitoba R6M 1Y5, Canada; and fourth author: Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing.
authors.forename: Rongqi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: First, third, and fifth authors: The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement/Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081; second author: Morden Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden, Manitoba R6M 1Y5, Canada; and fourth author: Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing.
authors.forename: Hongjie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005670:Fusarium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D003313:Zea mays / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D009183:Mycotoxins; C036483:T-DNA; C413663:fluorescent protein 583; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins