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Stud Mycol 59(1): 53-66 2007
DOI: 10.3114/sim.2007.59.07
Copyright © 2007 CBS Fungal Biodiversity Centre
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Biodiversity of Aspergillus species in some important agricultural products

G. Perrone1,*, A. Susca1, G. Cozzi1, K. Ehrlich2, J. Varga3,6, J.C. Frisvad4, M. Meijer6, P. Noonim5,6,7, W. Mahakarnchanakul5 and R.A. Samson6

1 Institute of Sciences of Food Production, CNR, Via Amendola, 122/O 70126 Bari, Italy
2 Southern Regional Research Center/ARS/USDA, New Orleans, LA 70124, U.S.A.
3 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, H-6701 Szeged, P.O. Box 533, Hungary
4 Center for Microbial Biotechnology, BioCentrum-DTU, Building 221, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
5 Department of Food Science and Technology, Agro-Industry Faculty, Kasetsart University, 10900 Bangkok, Thailand
6 CBS Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
7 Faculty of Technology and Management, Prince of Songkla University, Suratthani Campus, 84100 Suratthani, Thailand

* Correspondence: Giancarlo Perrone, giancarlo.perrone{at}ispa.cnr.it

The genus Aspergillus is one of the most important filamentous fungal genera. Aspergillus species are used in the fermentation industry, but they are also responsible of various plant and food secondary rot, with the consequence of possible accumulation of mycotoxins. The aflatoxin producing A. flavus and A. parasiticus, and ochratoxinogenic A. niger, A. ochraceus and A. carbonarius species are frequently encountered in agricultural products. Studies on the biodiversity of toxigenic Aspergillus species is useful to clarify molecular, ecological and biochemical characteristics of the different species in relation to their different adaptation to environmental and geographical conditions, and to their potential toxigenicity. Here we analyzed the biodiversity of ochratoxin producing species occurring on two important crops: grapes and coffee, and the genetic diversity of A. flavus populations occurring in agricultural fields. Altogether nine different black Aspergillus species can be found on grapes which are often difficult to identify with classical methods. The polyphasic approach used in our studies led to the identification of three new species occurring on grapes: A. brasiliensis, A. ibericus, and A. uvarum. Similar studies on the Aspergillus species occurring on coffee beans have evidenced in the last five years that A. carbonarius is an important source of ochratoxin A in coffee. Four new species within the black aspergilli were also identified in coffee beans: A. sclerotioniger, A. lacticoffeatus, A. sclerotiicarbonarius, and A. aculeatinus. The genetic diversity within A. flavus populations has been widely studied in relation to their potential aflatoxigenicity and morphological variants L- and S-strains. Within A. flavus and other Aspergillus species capable of aflatoxin production, considerable diversity is found. We summarise the main recent achievements in the diversity of the aflatoxin gene cluster in A. flavus populations, A. parasiticus and the non-toxigenic A. oryzae. Studies are needed in order to characterise the aflatoxin biosynthetic genes in the new related taxa A. minisclerotigenes and A. arachidicola.

Keywords aflatoxins / Aspergillus Sect. Nigri / Sect. Flavi / grapes / ochratoxin A / polyphasic identification coffee beans






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