Hans-Ulrich Humpf

FfVel1 and FfLae1, components of a velvet‐like complex in Fusarium fujikuroi, affect differentiation, secondary metabolism and virulence

Besides industrially produced gibberellins (GAs), Fusarium fujikuroi is able to produce additional secondary metabolites such as the pigments bikaverin and neurosporaxanthin and the mycotoxins fumonisins and fusarin C. The global regulation of these biosynthetic pathways is only poorly understood. Recently, the velvet complex containing VeA and several other regulatory proteins was shown to be involved in global regulation of secondary metabolism and differentiation in Aspergillus nidulans. Here, we report on the characterization of two components of the F. fujikuroi velvet‐like complex, FfVel1 and FfLae1. The gene encoding this first reported LaeA orthologue outside the class of Eurotiomycetidae is upregulated in ΔFfvel1 microarray‐studies and FfLae1 interacts with FfVel1 in the nucleus. Deletion of Ffvel1 and Fflae1 revealed for the first time that velvet can simultaneously act as positive (GAs, fumonisins and fusarin C) and negative (bikaverin) regulator of secondary metabolism, and that both components affect conidiation and virulence of F. fujikuroi. Furthermore, the velvet‐like protein FfVel2 revealed similar functions regarding conidiation, secondary metabolism and virulence as FfVel1. Cross‐genus complementation studies of velvet complex component mutants between Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium support an ancient origin for this complex, which has undergone a divergence in specific functions mediating development and secondary metabolism.

Fumonisins and fumonisin analogs as inhibitors of ceramide synthase and inducers of apoptosis.

Sphingoid bases are growth inhibitory and pro-apoptotic for many types of cells when added to cells exogenously, and can be elevated to toxic amounts endogenously when cells are exposed to inhibitors of ceramide synthase. An important category of naturally occurring inhibitors are the fumonisins, which inhibit ceramide synthase through structural similarities with both the sphingoid base and fatty acyl-CoA co-substrates. Fumonisins cause a wide spectrum of disease (liver and renal toxicity and carcinogenesis, neurotoxicity, induction of pulmonary edema, and others), and most-possibly all-of the pathophysiologic effects of fumonisins are attributable to disruption of the sphingolipid metabolism. The products of alkaline hydrolysis of fumonisins (which occurs during the preparation of masa flour for tortillas) are aminopentols that also inhibit ceramide synthase, but more weakly. Nonetheless, the aminopentols (and other 1-deoxy analogs of sphinganine) are acylated to derivatives that inhibit ceramide synthase, perhaps as product analogs, elevate sphinganine, and kill the cells. Somewhat paradoxically, fumonisins sometimes stimulate growth and inhibit apoptosis, possibly due to elevation of sphinganine 1-phosphate, which is known to have these cellular effects. These findings underscore the complexity of sphingolipid metabolism and the difficulty of identifying the pertinent mediators unless a full profile of the potentially bioactive species is evaluated.

Biosynthesis of the red pigment bikaverin in Fusarium fujikuroi: genes, their function and regulation

Fusarium secondary metabolites are structurally diverse, have a variety of activities and are generally poorly understood biosynthetically. The F. fujikuroi polyketide synthase gene bik1 was previously shown to be responsible for formation of the mycelial pigment bikaverin. Here we present the characterization of five genes adjacent to bik1 as encoding a putative FAD‐dependent monooxygenase (bik2), an O‐methyltransferase (bik3), an NmrA‐like protein (bik4), a Zn(II)2Cys6 transcription factor (bik5) and an MFS transporter (bik6). Deletion of each gene resulted in total loss or significant reduction of bikaverin synthesis. Expression studies revealed that all bik genes are repressed by high amounts of nitrogen in an AreA‐independent manner and are subject to a time‐ and pH‐dependent regulation. Deletion of the pH regulatory gene pacC resulted in partial derepression while complementation with a dominant active allele resulted in repression of bik genes at acidic ambient pH. Transcription of all bik genes in strains lacking bik1, bik2 or bik3 was essentially eliminated, while transcription of some bik genes was detected in strains lacking bik4, bik5 or bik6. Thus, bikaverin synthesis is regulated by a complex regulatory network. Understanding how different factors influence the synthesis of this model secondary metabolite will aid understanding secondary metabolism in general.

Acylation of Naturally Occurring and Synthetic 1-Deoxysphinganines by Ceramide Synthase FORMATION OF N-PALMITOYL-AMINOPENTOL PRODUCES A TOXIC METABOLITE OF HYDROLYZED FUMONISIN, AP1, AND A NEW CATEGORY OF CERAMIDE SYNTHASE INHIBITOR

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is the predominant member of a family of mycotoxins produced byFusarium moniliforme (Sheldon) and related fungi. Certain foods also contain the aminopentol backbone (AP1) that is formed upon base hydrolysis of the ester-linked tricarballylic acids of FB1. Both FB1 and, to a lesser extent, AP1 inhibit ceramide synthase due to structural similarities between fumonisins (as 1-deoxy-analogs of sphinganine) and sphingoid bases. To explore these structure-function relationships further, erythro- and threo-2-amino, 3-hydroxy- (and 3, 5-dihydroxy-) octadecanes were prepared by highly stereoselective syntheses. All of these analogs inhibit the acylation of sphingoid bases by ceramide synthase, and are themselves acylated with V max/K m of 40–125 for the erythro-isomers (compared with approximately 250 for d-erythro-sphinganine) and 4–6 for the threo-isomers. Ceramide synthase also acylates AP1 (but not FB1, under the conditions tested) to N-palmitoyl-AP1 (PAP1) with a V max/K m of approximately 1. The toxicity of PAP1 was evaluated using HT29 cells, a human colonic cell line. PAP1 was at least 10 times more toxic than FB1 or AP1 and caused sphinganine accumulation as an inhibitor of ceramide synthase. These studies demonstrate that: the 1-hydroxyl group is not required for sphingoid bases to be acylated; both erythro- andthreo-isomers are acylated with the highest apparentV max/K m for theerythro-analogs; and AP1 is acylated to PAP1, a new category of ceramide synthase inhibitor as well as a toxic metabolite that may play a role in the diseases caused by fumonisins.

Proposal of a comprehensive definition of modified and other forms of mycotoxins including “masked” mycotoxins

As the term “masked mycotoxins” encompasses only conjugated mycotoxins generated by plants and no other possible forms of mycotoxins and their modifications, we hereby propose for all these forms a systematic definition consisting of four hierarchic levels. The highest level differentiates the free and unmodified forms of mycotoxins from those being matrix-associated and from those being modified in their chemical structure. The following lower levels further differentiate, in particular, “modified mycotoxins” into “biologically modified” and “chemically modified” with all variations of metabolites of the former and dividing the latter into “thermally formed” and “non-thermally formed” ones. To harmonize future scientific wording and subsequent legislation, we suggest that the term “modified mycotoxins” should be used in the future and the term “masked mycotoxins” to be kept for the fraction of biologically modified mycotoxins that were conjugated by plants.

Biosynthesis of Fusarubins Accounts for Pigmentation of Fusarium fujikuroi Perithecia

ABSTRACT Fusarium fujikuroi produces a variety of secondary metabolites, of which polyketides form the most diverse group. Among these are the highly pigmented naphthoquinones, which have been shown to possess different functional properties for the fungus. A group of naphthoquinones, polyketides related to fusarubin, were identified in Fusarium spp. more than 60 years ago, but neither the genes responsible for their formation nor their biological function has been discovered to date. In addition, although it is known that the sexual fruiting bodies in which the progeny of the fungus develops are darkly colored by a polyketide synthase (PKS)-derived pigment, the structure of this pigment has never been elucidated. Here we present data that link the fusarubin-type polyketides to a defined gene cluster, which we designate fsr, and demonstrate that the fusarubins are the pigments responsible for the coloration of the perithecia. We studied their regulation and the function of the single genes within the cluster by a combination of gene replacements and overexpression of the PKS-encoding gene, and we present a model for the biosynthetic pathway of the fusarubins based on these data.

Quantitative analysis of Fusarium mycotoxins in maize using accelerated solvent extraction before liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A method for the simultaneous quantitative determination of deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin B1 (FB1) and zearalenone (ZEN) in maize by liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-APCIMS/MS), using stable isotopically labelled and structural analogues internal standards, is described. The procedure involves accelerated solvent extraction followed by two solid-phase clean-up steps on strong anion exchange resin and a Mycosep® column. Typical recoveries were calculated by spiking blank maize at three different concentrations for deoxynivalenol (200, 400 and 1000 μg kg−1) at 70%, for fumonisin B1 (100, 200 and 1000 μg kg−1) at 90%, and for zearalenone (50, 100 and 200 μg kg−1) at 40%. LC-APCIMS/MS analyses were realized in collision-induced dissociation on an ion-trap instrument to provide a high degree of selectivity and sensitivity. Extraction of ions from two transition reactions, monitored by LC-APCIMS/MS for each analyte, enabled a limit of detection for DON, FB1 and ZEN at, respectively, 10, 20 and 3 μg kg−1, and a limit of quantification at, respectively, 50, 50 and 10 μg kg−1. The robustness of the method was also evaluated with the analysis of wheat samples.

Association between Tortilla Consumption and Human Urinary Fumonisin B1 Levels in a Mexican Population

Fumonisins are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium spp. and commonly contaminate maize and maize products worldwide. Fumonisins are rodent carcinogens and have been associated with human esophageal cancer. However, the lack of a valid exposure biomarker has hindered both the assessment of human exposure and the evaluation of disease risk. A sensitive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method to measure urinary fumonisin B1 (FB1) following extraction on Oasis MAX cartridges was established and applied to urine samples from women in a cohort recruited in Morelos County, Mexico. Urinary FB1 was compared with dietary information on tortilla consumption. FB1 recovery in spiked samples averaged 94% as judged by deuterium-labeled FB1 internal standard. Urinary FB1 was determined in 75 samples from women selected based on low, medium, or high consumption of maize-based tortillas. The geometric mean (95% confidence interval) of urinary FB1 was 35.0 (18.8-65.2), 63.1 (36.8-108.2), and 147.4 (87.6-248.0) pg/mL and the frequency of samples above the detection limit (set at 20 pg FB1/mL urine) was 45%, 80%, and 96% for the low, medium, and high groups, respectively. Women with high intake had a 3-fold higher average FB1 levels compared with the “low intake” group (F = 7.3; P = 0.0015). Urinary FB1 was correlated with maize intake (Ptrend = 0.001); the correlation remained significant after adjusting for age, education, and place of residence. This study suggests that measurement of urinary FB1 is sufficiently sensitive for fumonisin exposure assessment in human populations and could be a valuable tool in investigating the associated health effects of exposure. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2008;17(3):688–94)

New Sensitive High-Performance Liquid Chromatography−Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for the Detection of Horse and Pork in Halal Beef

The accidental or fraudulent blending of meat from different species is a highly relevant aspect for food product quality control, especially for consumers with ethical concerns against species, such as horse or pork. In this study, we present a sensitive mass spectrometrical approach for the detection of trace contaminations of horse meat and pork and demonstrate the specificity of the identified biomarker peptides against chicken, lamb, and beef. Biomarker peptides were identified by a shotgun proteomic approach using tryptic digests of protein extracts and were verified by the analysis of 21 different meat samples from the 5 species included in this study. For the most sensitive peptides, a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method was developed that allows for the detection of 0.55% horse or pork in a beef matrix. To enhance sensitivity, we applied MRM(3) experiments and were able to detect down to 0.13% pork contamination in beef. To the best of our knowledge, we present here the first rapid and sensitive mass spectrometrical method for the detection of horse and pork by use of MRM and MRM(3).

Differential cytotoxic actions of Shiga toxin 1 and Shiga toxin 2 on microvascular and macrovascular endothelial cells

Shiga toxin (Stx)-mediated injury to vascular endothelial cells in the kidneys, brain and other organs underlies the pathogenesis of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) caused by enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). We present a direct and comprehensive comparison of cellular injury induced by the two major Stx types, Stx1 and Stx2, in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) and EA.hy 926 macrovascular endothelial cells. Scanning electron microscopy of microcarrier-based cell cultures, digital holographic microscopy of living single cells, and quantitative apoptosis/necrosis assays demonstrate that Stx1 causes both necrosis and apoptosis, whereas Stx2 induces almost exclusively apoptosis in both cell lines. Moreover, microvascular and macrovascular endothelial cells have different susceptibilities to the toxins: EA.hy 926 cells are slightly, but significantly (∼ 10 times) more susceptible to Stx1, whereas HBMECs are strikingly (≥ 1,000 times) more susceptible to Stx2. These findings have implications in the pathogenesis of HUS, and suggest the existence of yet to be delineated Stx type-specific mechanisms of endothelial cell injury beyond inhibition of protein biosynthesis.