FUM9 is required for C-5 hydroxylation of fumonisins and complements the meitotically defined Fum3 locus in Gibberella moniliformis

Deletion of the Gibberella moniliformis FUM9 gene resulted in mutants that produce only famonisins that lack a C-5 hydroxyl group. This phenotype is identical to that of previously described mutants with defective alleles at the meiotically defined Fum3 locus. Transformation with a wild-type FUM9 gene into a Fum3-defective mutant restored wild-type fumonisin production. These results indicate that the FUM9 protein catalyzes the C-5 hydroxylation of fumonisins and that FUM9 and the Fum3 locus are the same gene.