Zearalenone (ZEN) is a mycotoxin produced by some species of Fusarium, especially by Fusarium graminearum and F. culmorum. It is a significant contaminant of maize, barley, wheat and other cereals. ZEN is implicated in reproductive problems in experimental animals and livestock and is classified as a non-steroidal estrogen or mycoestrogen. The carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, haematotoxicity and immunotoxicity of ZEN were also reported. ZEN is biosynthesized from acetate-polymalonate pathway leading to nonaketide precursor which then subjected to different cyclizations and modifications. At the molecular level, a 50 kb gene cluster containing 11 genes was previously identified in F. graminearum. But ZEN biosynthesis is limited to four genes within this cluster: two polyketide synthase genes PKS4 and PKS13, gene similar to isoamyl alcohol oxidase (ZEB1) and a regulatory protein gene (ZEB2). This review covers the updated information concerning the molecular biology of ZEN biosynthesis as well as the proposed mechanism of its biosynthetic pathway. We also report the molecular regulation of its biosynthesis. Moreover, molecular methods developed for the specific detection and quantification of ZEN producing species are detailed in this review.

玉米赤霉烯酮（ZEN）是由某些镰刀菌属（Fusarium）产生的霉菌毒素，尤其是禾谷镰刀菌（Fusarium graminearum）和鳞茎镰刀菌（F. culmorum）产生。它是玉米，大麦，小麦和其他谷物的重要污染物。ZEN与实验动物和牲畜的生殖问题有关，被归类为非甾体雌激素或真菌雌激素。还报道了ZEN的致癌性，遗传毒性，肝毒性，血液毒性和免疫毒性。ZEN是通过乙酸酯-聚丙二酸酯途径生物合成的，从而生成非肽前体，然后将其进行不同的环化和修饰。在分子水平上，先前在禾谷镰孢中鉴定出包含11个基因的50kb基因簇。但ZEN的生物合成仅限于该簇中的四个基因：两个聚酮化合物合酶基因PKS4和PKS13，与异戊醇氧化酶（ZEB1）类似的基因和一个调节蛋白基因（ZEB2）。这篇综述涵盖了有关ZEN生物合成的分子生物学及其生物合成途径的机制的最新信息。我们还报告了其生物合成的分子调控。此外，在这篇综述中详细介绍了专门用于检测和定量生产ZEN物种的分子方法。