Destruxin B and sirodesmin PL are phytotoxins produced by the phytopathogenic fungi Alternaria brassicae (Berk.) Sacc. and Leptosphaeria maculans (asexual stage Phoma lingam), respectively. The molecular interaction of destruxin B and sirodesmin PL with cruciferous and cereal species was investigated using HPLC-ESI-MS(n). It was determined that crucifers transformed destruxin B to hydroxydestruxin B, but sirodesmin PL was not transformed. Overall, the results suggest that the five cruciferous species Arabidopsis thaliana, Thellungiella salsuginea, Erucastrum gallicum, Brassica rapa and Brassica napus are likely to produce a destruxin B detoxifying enzyme (destruxin B hydroxylase), similar to other cruciferous species reported previously. In addition, HPLC analyses and quantification of the phytoalexins elicited in each cruciferous species by these phytotoxins indicates that sirodesmin PL elicits a larger number of phytoalexins than destruxin B. Interestingly, transformation of destruxin B appears to occur also in the cereals Avena sativa and Triticum aestivum; however, the various destruxin metabolites detected in these cereals suggest that these reactions are non-specific enzymatic transformations, contrary to those observed in crucifers, where only a main transformation pathway is detectable. None of the toxins appear to elicit production of metabolites in either A. sativa or T. aestivum.
Research Department	
              
          Research Journal	
              Phytochemistry  
          Research Rank	
              1
          Research Vol	
              77-
          Research Year	
              2012
          Research Member	
          
      Research Abstract