Detection, Biosynthesis and Control of Mycotoxins (4th Edition)

Dear Colleagues,

Fungi commonly grow on substrates such as animals and plants, breaking down large molecules from the outside into easily absorbable small molecules that enter the body. Afterwards, they either decompose or synthesize new compounds with other substances. The metabolites of fungi have significant impacts on humans. On one hand, some valuable beneficial metabolites can be used in industry, food, and pharmaceuticals. On the other hand, some metabolites have toxic effects, which cause fatal harm to humans and the environment. According to the effects of metabolites produced by fungi on themselves, metabolism can be divided into primary metabolism and secondary metabolism. Fungi absorb various nutrients from the outside world and then generate the substances and energy needed to sustain life activities through catabolism and synthetic metabolism, which is known as primary metabolism. Secondary metabolism refers to the metabolic activities that fungi produce to avoid the adverse effects caused by accumulating certain metabolites or to gain a competitive advantage, beneficial for their survival and development. Secondary metabolites often have complex molecular structures and include antibiotics, alkaloids, pigments, vitamins and toxins. Secondary metabolites have different physiological activities on other organisms. Some secondary metabolites have strong toxicity; these are called toxins. Fungal toxins can contaminate almost all food, feed, and herbal medicines, posing a serious threat to human and animal health, and they include the aflatoxin, deoxynivalenol, and fumonisin.

To effectively control mycotoxins, it is critical to understand the environmental factors that influence their production. Various factors, including light, carbon and nitrogen sources, pH, oxidative stress, and microbial interactions, regulate mycotoxin biosynthesis. With the advancements in sequencing and molecular biology, researchers have made significant progress in elucidating the biosynthetic pathways of mycotoxins and identifying the underlying regulatory mechanisms. These insights lay a solid theoretical foundation for developing more effective control strategies for mycotoxins.

In parallel, rapid and sensitive detection technologies for mycotoxins have continue to emerge, enabling early identification and monitoring. At the same time, detoxification methods have been increasingly explored, offering promising approaches for reducing the risks associated with fungal contamination. With the rapid development of  genomics, bioinformatics, molecular biology, and genetic engineering, mycotoxin research has entered a new era of accelerated discovery and innovation. To highlight recent advances in this field, our editorial department has invited Professor Shihua Wang, Yang Liu and Qi Zhang to serve as the Guest Editors for this Special Issue, titled "Detection, Biosynthesis and Control of Mycotoxins (4th Edition)”. This Special Issue will focus on recent research developments in mycotoxin detection and identification, synthesis pathway analysis, factors influencing mycotoxin production, regulatory mechanisms detoxification strategies, and detoxification mechanisms. We welcome the submission of original research articles and comprehensive review papers on these topics.

We look forward to receiving valuable contributions from researchers and experts worldwide.

Prof. Dr. Shihua Wang
Prof. Dr. Yang Liu
Prof. Dr. Qi Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxins is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• fungi
• mycotoxins
• identification
• detection
• biosynthesis pathway
• regulation
• mycotoxin degradation

• Research on Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins in China in Toxins (10 articles)
• Research on Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins in China (2nd Edition) in Toxins (11 articles)
• Aspergillus flavus and Aflatoxins (3rd Edition) in Toxins (13 articles)