Debunking the Myth of Fusarium poae T-2/HT-2 Toxin Production

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c08437
• Publication Date: 2024-02-20T12:09:52Z
• Authors: Thomas E. Witte; Carmen Hicks; Anne Hermans; Sam Shields; David P. Overy

Fusarium poae is commonly detected in field surveys of head blight (FHB) cereal crops and can produce a range trichothecene mycotoxins. Although experimentally validated reports F. strains producing T-2/HT-2 trichothecenes are rare, frequently generalized the literature as producer toxins due to single study from 2004 which were at low levels six out forty-nine examined. To validate/substantiate observations reported study, acquired phylogenetically confirmed be correctly assigned poae; however, no evidence toxin production was observed axenic cultures. Moreover, for TRI16 ortholog, encoding key acyltransferase shown necessary T-2 other species, any de novo assembled genomes strains. Our findings corroborate multiple field-based vitro studies on FHB-associated populations also do not support with therefore conclude that should species Fusarium.