Survey of Candidate Genes for Maize Resistance to Infection by Aspergillus flavus and/or Aflatoxin Contamination

Abstract

Many projects have identified candidate genes for resistance to aflatoxin accumulation or Aspergillus flavus infection and growth in maize using genetic mapping, genomics, transcriptomics and/or proteomics studies. However, only a small percentage of these candidates have been validated in field conditions, and their relative contribution to resistance, if any, is unknown. This study presents a consolidated list of candidate genes identified in past studies or in-house studies, with descriptive data including genetic location, gene annotation, known protein identifiers, and associated pathway information, if known. A candidate gene pipeline to test the phenotypic effect of any maize DNA sequence on aflatoxin accumulation resistance was used in this study to determine any measurable effect on polymorphisms within or linked to the candidate gene sequences, and the results are published here.

Keywords

• maize
• Zea mays L.
• Aspergillus flavus
• aflatoxin
• candidate genes
• Key Contribution
• Quantitative trait loci associated with resistance to Aspergillus flavus and/or aflatoxin production can be quite large and are comprised of thousands of genes, thus making it difficult to determine which one(s) may be most relevant to pursue in breeding for improved resistance. The authors examined maize mapping populations for association of polymorphisms within 195 candidate genes that may be involved in resistance. Many of the identified candidates genes offer clues to key metabolic and/or enzymatic pathways that may have a significant effect on reducing fungal infection and/or aflatoxin accumulation.