The Fusarium verticillioides minichromosome negatively regulates the biosynthesis of carcinogenic fumonisins during maize infection

Fusarium verticillioides causes maize ear and stalk rot, reducing yields and grain quality due to fumonisin contamination. Here, we report the chromosome-scale genome of the F. verticillioides strain FvSZ22, comprising 11 core chromosomes and 1 minichromosome (Chr12). To disentangle Chr12's biological role, we generated the functional nullisomic ΔChr12 mutants using a gln-tRNA-based CRISPR-Cas9 system. Whole-genome sequencing confirmed Chr12 deletion and reintroduction in the ΔChr12 and ΔChr12/Chr12 (ΔChr12 x LNF15-11 [MAT2]) strains, respectively. ΔChr12 exhibits impaired fungal growth and conidiation, heightened oxidative and salt stress tolerance, and elevated FB1 and FB2 fumonisin levels in infected maize kernels, yet causes comparable stalk rot and leaf blight as FvSZ22. Notably, ΔChr12/Chr12-harboring the fumonisin biosynthetic gene cluster (FBGC) from FvSZ22 and Chr12 from LNF15-11-produces drastically higher levels of both fumonisins, linked to the FBGC upregulation. This study underscores the indispensability of minichromosomes in regulating mycotoxin biosynthesis and fungal adaptation to environmental stress.