title: A polyphasic approach for characterization of a collection of cereal isolates of the Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex.
abstract: DNA-based phylogenetic analyses have resolved the fungal genus Fusarium into multiple species complexes. The F. incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC) includes fusaria associated with several diseases of agriculturally important crops, including cereals. Although members of FIESC are considered to be only moderately aggressive, they are able to produce a diversity of mycotoxins, including trichothecenes, which can accumulate to harmful levels in cereals. High levels of cryptic speciation have been detected within the FIESC. As a result, it is often necessary to use approaches other than morphological characterization to distinguish species. In the current study, we used a polyphasic approach to characterize a collection of 69 FIESC isolates recovered from cereals in Europe, Turkey, and North America. In a species phylogeny inferred from nucleotide sequences from four housekeeping genes, 65 of the isolates were resolved within the Equiseti clade of the FIESC, and four isolates were resolved within the Incarnatum clade. Seven isolates were resolved as a genealogically exclusive lineage, designated here as FIESC 31. Phylogenies based on nucleotide sequences of trichothecene biosynthetic genes and MALDI-TOF MS (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry) were largely concordant with phylogeny inferred from the housekeeping gene. Finally, Liquid Chromatography (Time-Of-Flight) Mass Spectrometry [LC-(TOF-)MS(/MS)] revealed variability in mycotoxin production profiles among the different phylogenetic species investigated in this study.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council, Via Amendola, 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villani
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council, Via Amendola, 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Analysis, Department of Bioanalysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Saeger
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Analysis, Department of Bioanalysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Analysis, Department of Bioanalysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jose Diana
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Di Mavungu
authors.affiliation: CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710, -057 Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Célia M G
authors.initials: CMG
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1815 N. University St., Peoria, IL 61604, USA.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Proctor
authors.affiliation: CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710, -057 Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Venâncio
authors.affiliation: CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710, -057 Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council, Via Amendola, 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stea
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Bari, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Costantino
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paciolla
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council, Via Amendola, 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Logrieco
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council, Via Amendola, 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy. Electronic address: antonella.susca@ispa.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Susca
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000382:microbiology*; D005060:Europe; D005670:Fusarium / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D020043:Genes, Essential / Q000235:genetics*; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009656:North America; D010802:Phylogeny; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D014255:Trichothecenes / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D009183:Mycotoxins; D014255:Trichothecenes
keywords: FIESC; Phylogeny; Secondary metabolites; TRI genes