Lipid signals in the interaction between mycotoxigenic fungi and their hosts: the case of lipid-derived BVOCS inAspergillus flavus-maize interaction

Abstract Lipid molecules are gaining momentum as signals exchanged by interacting organismsduringpathogenicand/orsymbioticdeals.Someclassof lipids,especially those over-represented in the interaction interfaces activelydrive the fate of plant- microorganism interactions. Notably, lipid compounds may reprogram the transcriptome of the pathogen aswell as of the host, leading to defence responses suchasprogrammedcelldeath inplantsormycotoxinsynthesis in thepathogen. In relation to this, host-cuticle components such as sphingolipids and oxylipins may contribute to drive host-pathogen interactions. According to available studies, sphingolipids are involved in signalling pathways that promote hypersensitive responseandassociatedprogrammedcelldeathinplantswhilstsomephyto-oxylipins mayaffectvirulenceandtheproductionofsecondarymetabolitesinpathogenicfungi. Plant and fungi communicate by themean of biogenic volatile organic compounds. Several of these are by-products of fatty acid oxidation also because of enhanced respirationconsequent to fungalcontamination. Inourstudy,wedepict thechanges inBVOCsprofileofmaizekernelschallengedwithA. flavus,suggestingapotentialrole inthemolecularcross-talkthatthesetwocompetingorganismsentertainduringtheir interaction.