Molecular characterization of Aspergillus section Flavi isolates collected from peanut fields in Argentina using AFLPs.

AIMS

The objectives of this study were: (i) to evaluate genetic relatedness among Aspergillus section Flavi strains isolated from soil and peanut seeds in Argentina; (ii) to determine if AFLP molecular markers could be useful to identify isolates up to species level, and to correlate these markers with the isolates' toxigenic potentials and/or vegetative compatibility group (VCG) affiliations.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLPs) analysis was applied to compare 82 isolates of Aspergillus section Flavi. Cluster analysis showed a clear separation of A. flavus and A. parasiticus, and comparison of fingerprints revealed several specific markers for each group of isolates. AFLP analysis indicates that no genotypical differences can be established between aflatoxigenic and nonaflatoxigenic producers in both species analysed. In addition, candidate AFLP markers associated with a particular VCG were not found.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a concordance between morphological identification and separation up to species level using molecular markers. The findings of specific bands for A. flavus and A. parasiticus may be useful for the design of specific PCR primers in order to differentiate these species and detect them in food.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The present study provides new data on molecular characterization of Aspergillus section Flavi in Argentina.