Functional Study of Lipoxygenase-Mediated Resistance against Fusarium verticillioides and Aspergillus flavus Infection in Maize

Mycotoxin contamination of maize kernels by fungal pathogens like Fusarium verticillioides and Aspergillus flavus is a chronic global challenge impacting food and feed security, health, and trade. Maize lipoxygenase genes (ZmLOXs) synthetize oxylipins that play defense roles and govern host-fungal interactions. The current study investigated the involvement of ZmLOXs in maize resistance against these two fungi. A considerable intraspecific genetic and transcript variability of the ZmLOX family was highlighted by in silico analysis comparing publicly available maize pan-genomes and pan-transcriptomes, respectively. Then, phenotyping and expression analysis of ZmLOX genes along with key genes involved in oxylipin biosynthesis were carried out in a maize mutant carrying a Mu transposon insertion in the ZmLOX4 gene (named UFMulox4) together with Tzi18, Mo17, and W22 inbred lines at 3- and 7-days post-inoculation with F. verticillioides and A. flavus. Tzi18 showed the highest resistance to the pathogens coupled with the lowest mycotoxin accumulation, while UFMulox4 was highly susceptible to both pathogens with the most elevated mycotoxin content. F. verticillioides inoculation determined a stronger induction of ZmLOXs and maize allene oxide synthase genes as compared to A. flavus. Additionally, oxylipin analysis revealed prevalent linoleic (18:2) peroxidation by 9-LOXs, the accumulation of 10-oxo-11-phytoenoic acid (10-OPEA), and triglyceride peroxidation only in F. verticillioides inoculated kernels of resistant genotypes

EVOLUTION OF THE FUSION LIKE PROCESS AROUND THE FERMI ENERGY

The study of evaporation residue from the Ne + Ag system shows that there is qualitative change in the reaction mechanism in the Fermi energy domain. At 20 MeV/u the projectile is mostly absobered by the target, while at 30-37 MeV/u a continious range of mass transfer with a large transverse momentum is observed

EVIDENCE OF PRIMARY EVENTS IN 20Ne, 22Ne FRAGMENTATION FROM COINCIDENCE MEASUREMENTS IN 20, 22Ne + 93Nb REACTION AT 30 MeV/A

Evidence that primary ejectiles formation strongly depends on the projectile structure is given by comparison of 20Ne + 93Nb and 22Ne + 93Nb reactions at 30 MeV/A. Pick-up, stripping, break-up mechanism are identified using light particles-projectile fragments coïncidence measurements

Hyperspectral imaging characterization of agricultural topsoil copper concentration

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