Secrets of a rice-killing fungal toxin

Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Sciences (CSRS) have discovered the enzyme needed for synthesis of tenuazonic acid (TeA), a well-known toxin that is produced by multiple types of fungus and affects fruits, vegetables, rice, and other crops. In their study published in Nature Communications, the authors describe how they found the gene for this enzyme, and reveal that its structure is unique among known enzymes.