Genomic analysis of trichothecene-producing fungi

Trichothecenes are a family of terpenoid toxins produced by diverse fungi, including species of Aspergillus, Fusarium, Isaria, Microcyclospora, Myrothecium, Peltaster, Stachybotrys, Trichothecium and Trichoderma. Most known trichothecene-producing fungi are species within the order Hypocreales. The objective of this project is to identify genes responsible for synthesis of trichothecenes, elucidate the role of the genes in biosynthesis, and discern the evolutionary processes that have contributed to the structural diversity of the toxins. To this end, we have generated genome sequence data for seven trichothecene-producing species and carried out comparative analyses with genome sequence of Aspergillus, Beauveria, Cordyceps, Fusarium and Stachybotrys species.