Abstract
The ubiquitous genus Alternaria contains many species that are able to invade cereals, oleaginous plants and other crops. Alternaria alternata is considered one of the most important species and can produce several mycotoxins under favorable conditions of temperature and humidity, including the economically important toxins: alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). The aim of this study was to evaluate the radio-sensitivity of Alternaria alternata spores through different gamma radiation doses. A. alternata growth and the production of AOH and AME were then analyzed. After fungal irradiation with 2 kGy, 5 kGy and 7 kGy, the spores were suspended with sterile distilled water followed by inoculation on wheat grains. The count of the colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g) was performed using Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol (DRBC) and Dichloran Chloramphenicol Agar Malt Extract (DCMA); AOH and AME were analyzed using Liquid Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS). Results showed that fungal growth and toxin production increased with the increase of radiation dosage. The implications of these findings in relation to the resistance of A. alternata spores to gamma irradiation are discussed.
Highlights
The genus Alternaria is a ubiquitous fungus in nature and its species are considered both plant-pathogenic and saprophytic that may affect crops in the field or cause harvest and post-harvest decay of plant products [1]
A. alternata growth was evaluated in wheat samples
There was an increase in the number of colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g) that was proportional to the increase in radiation dose (p
Summary
The genus Alternaria is a ubiquitous fungus in nature and its species are considered both plant-pathogenic and saprophytic that may affect crops in the field or cause harvest and post-harvest decay of plant products [1]. Some species are able to produce mycotoxins in plants and food This has several implications due to toxic effects of Alternaria toxins in humans and animals, compromising food safety and posing important risks to public health [2]. Alternaria alternata is considered the most mycotoxigenic species within this group, and it is able to produce several toxins, including alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). These toxins frequently occur in wheat, other grains and seeds as well as fruits and processed fruit products [1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. AME and AOH have been reported to be genotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic [1,5,10]
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