Left: A. flavus–infected non-transgenic and transgenic corn kernels; right: non-transgenic and transgenic corn plantsMONICA A. SCHMIDT
Aspergillus molds make some 16 million tons of corn unsafe for consumption each year. It’s not the fungus itself that’s the problem, however; it’s the fungal metabolites, called aflatoxins, which can negatively affect the health of animals and people who eat infected crops.
In a step toward aflatoxin-free maize, scientists at the University of Arizona have developed an RNA interference (RNAi) cassette that targets three regions in the fungal gene aflC, which encodes an enzyme required for aflatoxin production. When transfected into maize, the RNAi cassette reduced aflC expression in A. flavus–infected corn kernels, reducing fungal aflatoxin production. The team described the results of its host-induced gene silencing approach in Science Advances today (March 10).
While several planting, harvesting, and storage methods and the application ...
