When told the subject of her research has a bit of an alien predator vibe, Natacha Hogan is quick to agree.
“Oh, I like that,” said the assistant professor in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science. “When you look at the structures of these mycotoxins, some really are scary looking. Many are very complex structures with multiple rings fused together and many functional groups hanging off the sides. They sort of look like spiders.”
When told the subject of her research has a bit of an alien predator vibe, Natacha Hogan is quick to agree.
“Oh, I like that,” said the assistant professor in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science. “When you look at the structures of these mycotoxins, some really are scary looking. Many are very complex structures with multiple rings fused together and many functional groups hanging off the sides. They sort of look like spiders.”
Hogan’s view may be coloured by knowing what mycotoxins do.
These poisonous substances are produced when fungi infect a plant—although their purpose is a subject of debate. Researchers have noted greater volumes are produced when growing conditions are poor, such as when plants suffer from heat stress or insect damage. When plants activate response mechanisms to deal with the stress or damage, they open themselves up to fungal colonization and mycotoxin accumulation. One theory is that mycotoxins actually prevent the host plant from making enzymes that combat the fungi, which allows it to spread.
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Photo via University of Saskatchewan.
