Informative Essay On Corn Smut

Recently, corn smut has emerged as a delicacy in dozens of countries across the world and has become a common ground for scientific research in vaccinations; however, its health benefits and risk factors have been debated for thousands of years (McMeekin). Huitlacoche, the common Mexican name for corn smut, has been utilized as a food source since the 1700s when the Aztecs embraced it as one of their most valued meals and the Europeans claimed it caused severe health complications such as extreme hair loss among men (McMeekin). Today, Mexicans can more than 100 tons of corn smut a year for consumption and the health risks have been evaluated extensively (Patarky).
Corn smut is caused by a pathogen known as Ustilago Maydis and often leads

to black, greasy, or powdery galls, tumor like growths, on corn ears (Draper, McMeekin). In its early stages, when it is most commonly consumed, corn smut has a smooth greenish-white to silvery-white appearance (Draper, Patel). Over the years tribal nations have utilized corn smut as a remedy for diarrhea, irregular menstruation, and to hasten labor (McMeekin). Modern day scientists have begun to discover research which supports the idea that corn smut has more nutritional value than corn itself (Patel). It has been determined that corn smut holds 14 out of the 20 amino acids and assists in preventing eye diseases and limits the chances of developing cancer (Patel). Corn smut is also known to affect plants rather quickly because of their rapid production of spores and the spore’s ability to travel in wind and water easily (Margarita). Maize is also relatively susceptible to corn smut because of minor wounds including those produced by insect feedings (Patarky).
Due to its ample amounts of proteins and amino acids and its accessibility due to its ability to rapidly infect plants, research has emerged pertaining to the use of corn smut as an oral vaccination vessel (Margarita).

Juarez-Montiel et al. (2015), genetically modified corn smut to express cholera toxin B subunit (CTB), a protein which would create an immune response to E.coli and V. cholera, bacterium which negatively affect intestinal functions when infection occurs. Promoters which have the ability to initiate the multiplication of DNA were used to replicate the CTB gene in order to create an excessive amount of CTB protein (Margarita). By doing this, the pathogen which causes corn smut to grow, U. maydis, could have enough CTB inserted into it for consumption as an oral vaccine (Margarita). Once the insertion was completed, the pathogen and CTB were introduced to maize in order to induce the production of corn smut laced with CTB protein (Margirita).
Once the corn smut was grown, it was fed to two groups of twelve week-old female mice; within the experiment a control group was fed corn smut without the new protein infused in it in order to have a comparison of the effects of normal corn smut on mice Margarita). After twenty one days blood samples were collected to determine if anti-bodies for the bacterium had developed (Margarita). The mice were also infected with cholera, the infection related to V. cholera, and had their intestinal fluid accumulation measured after they were euthanized

(Margarita).
Based upon this experiment researchers concluded that corn smut is a valuable fungus that can be used for oral vaccinations. Corn smut was able to produce galls with the protein present and the CTB formed correctly and was detectable in the fungus (Margarita). The mice also displayed an increase in several immunoglobulins, proteins that function as anti-bodies, when compared to mice that were fed corn smut without CTB (Margarita). Therefore, the mice experienced less fluid accumulation in their intestines when infected with cholera (Margarita).
Scientific research is working to confirm the health benefits and disprove the myths surrounding this type of fungus; however, asthma and allergic reactions have resulted in the consumption of corn smut (Patel). This has been attributed to being an individual response similar to how some patients are allergic to medications such as penicillin (Patel). Therefore, we can assume corn smut will continue to remain a staple food product in several countries and will continue to be explored within the medical and pharmaceutical fields.