Species Diversity in the Fusarium solani (Neocosmospora) Complex and Their Pathogenicity for Plants and Humans

The Fusarium solani species complex is a large group of soil saprotrophs with a broad adaptive potential, which allows the fungi to exist under various conditions and to parasitize on different hosts. The review analyzes the modern data concerning the genetic peculiarities of species from this complex by the example of F. solani f. sp. pisi and generalizes the data on the most widespread species pathogenic for both plants and humans. The enhanced resistance of the F. solani species complex to the most of modern antifungal agents and the need for novel therapeutic agents against fusariosis has been considered.

[Biosynthesis of 4,15-diacetylnivalenol by Fusarium sambucinum Fuckel var. minus]

Fusarium sambucinum Fuckel var. minus isolate produced unusual for F. sambucinum Fuckel trichothecene metabolite 4,15-diacetylnivalenol (9 mg/l) in conditions of deep cultivation on Myro medium. This compound was identified by TLC, GLC, HPLC, and 1N MR spectroscopy. Other trichothecenes, 4-acetylnivalenol (3 mg/l) and nivalenol (1 mg/l), were also found in the culture. The observed feature of the studied isolate is assumed to be due to the presence of an additional gene, which encodes cytochrome P450 oxygenase responsible for the introduction of keto group at C8 and hydroxyl group at C7 of the trichothecene structure.