Abstract
The use of plant extracts in pre- and post-harvest disease management of agricultural crops to cope with aflatoxin B1 contamination has shown great promise due to their capability in managing toxins and safe-keeping the quality. We investigated the anti-aflatoxigenic effect of multiple doses of eight plant extracts (Heracleum persicum, Peganum harmala, Crocus sativus, Trachyspermum ammi, Rosmarinus officinalis, Anethum graveolens, Berberis vulgaris, Berberis thunbergii) on Aspergillus flavus via LC-MS and the down-regulatory effect of them on aflR, aflM and aflP genes involved in the aflatoxin B1 biosynthesis pathway using RT-qPCR analyses. Our results showed that H. persicum (4 mg/mL), P. harmala (6 mg/mL) and T. ammi (2 mg/mL) completely stopped the production of aflatoxin B1, without inducing significant changes in A. flavus growth. Furthermore, our findings showed a highly significant correlation between the gene expression and the aflatoxin B1 biosynthesis, such that certain doses of the extracts reduced or blocked the expression of the aflR, aflM and aflP and consequently reduced the synthesis of aflatoxin B1. Interestingly, compared to the regulatory gene (aflR), the down-regulation of expression in the structural genes (aflM and aflP) was more consistent and correlated with the inhibition of aflatoxin B1 production. Overall, this study reveals the anti-aflatoxigenic mechanisms of the selected plant extracts at the gene expression level and provides evidence for their use in plant and crop protection.
Highlights
A wide variety of food crops are contaminated with mycotoxins, which occur due to pathogenic fungi in the pre- and post-harvest stages [1]
We selected eight natural plant extracts that are less well or not studied or little is known about the molecular mechanism of their aflatoxin inhibition and the affected aflatoxin pathways, but could be potential sources of controlling aflatoxin production in agricultural products. We considered their pleasantness as a food additive and their affordability, and examined their anti-aflatoxigenic effects at the molecular level by studying some of the key genes involved in the aflatoxin B1 biosynthesis pathway
Media, thePeptone medium provides a highly significant condition for fungal compared to other culture media, the Yeast Extract Sucrose (YES) medium provides a highly growth and aflatoxin B1 production
Summary
A wide variety of food crops are contaminated with mycotoxins, which occur due to pathogenic fungi in the pre- and post-harvest stages [1]. Aflatoxins represent a serious threat to human and livestock health as well as to international trade. Aflatoxins are potent toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, immunosuppressive agents that are mainly produced as secondary metabolites by fungal species belonging to the Aspergillus section Flavi on a wide range of food products [2]. Among several different types of aflatoxins, aflatoxin B1 is the most common carcinogenic and can be found in foods, such as cereals, corn, rice, peanuts, and pistachios [3]. In addition to serious health risks, toxigenic fungi impose significant annual economic losses to food products [4].
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