Abstract
Fusarium mycotoxins directly accumulated in grains during the infection of wheat and other cereal crops by Fusarium head blight (FHB) pathogens are detrimental to humans and domesticated animals. Prevention of the mycotoxins via the development of FHB-resistant varieties has been a challenge due to the scarcity of natural resistance against FHB pathogens. Various antibodies specific to Fusarium fungi and mycotoxins are widely used in immunoassays and antibody-mediated resistance in planta against Fusarium pathogens has been demonstrated. Antibodies fused to antifungal proteins have been shown to confer a very significantly enhanced Fusarium resistance in transgenic plants. Thus, antibody fusions hold great promise as an effective tool for the prevention of mycotoxin contaminations in cereal grains. This review highlights the utilization of protective antibodies derived from phage display to increase endogenous resistance of wheat to FHB pathogens and consequently to reduce mycotoxins in field. The role played by Fusarium-specific antibody in the resistance is also discussed.
Highlights
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites that are produced by many different genera of fungi including Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium [1, 2]
Antibodies generated against the mycelium surface antigens of Fusarium mycotoxin-producing fungi bind to the fungal cell walls. scFv antibodies are genetically manipulated with ease to create scFv-antifungal peptide (AFP) fusion proteins that display synergistic, bi-functional activity specific to Fusarium pathogens in vitro and in planta
Various forms of antibodies have been expressed in plants and plant-expressed antibodies are functionally similar to their counterparts that are derived from mammalian cells
Summary
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites that are produced by many different genera of fungi including Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium [1, 2]. To prevent mycotoxin contaminations in cereal grains, reduction of the pathogen infection in field by endogenous expression of resistance genes is a key step. Alternative approaches are required to protect plants against FHB pathogens and to reduce mycotoxin production [8,9,10,11]. Antibodies, or immunoglobulins, are defense molecules synthesized by all vertebrates in response to the presence of a foreign substance, called an antigen. They display defined specificity and affinity for the antigens that elicited their synthesis. Expression in plants of antibodies specific for mycotoxin-producing pathogens can restrict the spreading of the pathogens in field and eventually reduce mycotoxin-production load. This review highlights some recent advances of antibody-based prevention of Fusarium mycotoxins in filed, with emphasis on application of antibody fusion proteins in cereal crops
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