Fumonisin B2 is a

fumonisin The fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins derived from ''Fusarium'' and their Liseola section. They have strong structural similarity to sphinganine, the backbone precursor of sphingolipids. More specifically, it can refer to: * Fumonisin B1 * ...

mycotoxin A mycotoxin (from the Greek μύκης , "fungus" and τοξίνη , "toxin") is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by organisms of kingdom Fungi and is capable of causing disease and death in both humans and other animals. The term 'mycotoxin' ...

produced by the fungi ''

Fusarium ''Fusarium'' is a large genus of filamentous fungi, part of a group often referred to as hyphomycetes, widely distributed in soil and associated with plants. Most species are harmless saprobes, and are relatively abundant members of the soil mi ...

verticillioides'' (formerly ''Fusarium moniliforme'') and ''

Aspergillus ' () is a genus consisting of several hundred mold species found in various climates worldwide. ''Aspergillus'' was first catalogued in 1729 by the Italian priest and biologist Pier Antonio Micheli. Viewing the fungi under a microscope, Miche ...

niger''. It is a

structural analog A structural analog (analogue in modern traditional English; Commonwealth English), also known as a chemical analog or simply an analog, is a compound having a structure similar to that of another compound, but differing from it in respect to a ce ...

fumonisin B3 The fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins derived from ''Fusarium'' and their Liseola section. They have strong structural similarity to sphinganine, the backbone precursor of sphingolipids. More specifically, it can refer to: * Fumonisin B1 * Fum ...

, while it is lacking one hydroxy group compared to

fumonisin B1 Fumonisin B1 is the most prevalent member of a family of toxins, known as fumonisins, produced by several species of ''Fusarium'' molds, such as ''Fusarium verticillioides'', which occur mainly in maize (corn), wheat and other cereals. Fumonisin B ...

. Fumonisin B2 is more

cytotoxic Cytotoxicity is the quality of being toxic to cells. Examples of toxic agents are an immune cell or some types of venom, e.g. from the puff adder (''Bitis arietans'') or brown recluse spider (''Loxosceles reclusa''). Cell physiology Treating cells ...

than fumonisin B1. Fumonisin B2 inhibits sphingosine acyltransferase. Fumonisin B2 and other fumonisins frequently contaminate

maize Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...

and other crops, while recently it has been shown using LC–MS/MS that FB2 can contaminate coffee beans as well.

References

Mycotoxins Enzyme inhibitors {{biochem-stub