This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Web of Science (114) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bruce, R. J. Articles by West, C. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bruce, R. J. Articles by West, C. A. Agricola Articles by Bruce, R. J. Articles by West, C. A.

Articles

Elicitation of Casbene Synthetase Activity in Castor Bean ¹

THE ROLE OF PECTIC FRAGMENTS OF THE PLANT CELL WALL IN ELICITATION BY A FUNGAL ENDOPOLYGALACTURONASE

Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024

Endopolygalacturonase isolated from culture filtrates of the fungus Rhizopus stolonifer was shown previously to act as an elicitor of biosynthetic capacity for the antifungal agent, casbene, in castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) seedlings (S.-C. Lee, C.A. West 1981 Plant Physiology 67:633-639). Selective amidation of exposed carboxyl groups of the pure fungal endopolygalacturonase using intermediate activation with a water-soluble carbodiimide under mild conditions leads to inactivation of its enzymic activity. Tests of active and partially inactivated preparations of the enzyme reveal a close correlation between the levels of catalytic and elicitor activities. This suggests that the catalytic activity of the enzyme is necessary for its function as an elicitor. Treatment of the cell-free particulate fraction of homogenates of castor bean seedlings with the active fungal endopolygalacturonase results in the production of a heat-stable, water-soluble component which is highly active as an elicitor of casbene synthetase activity. Several additional lines of evidence, including the susceptibility of the heat-stable elicitor fraction to partial inactivation following prolonged treatment with endopolygalacturonase, indicate that the heat-stable elicitor is most likely a pectic fragment of the plant cell wall and that it is a required intermediate in the process of elicitation of casbene synthetase activity by the fungal endopolygalacturonase.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				I. J. Flores-Sanchez, J. Ortega-Lopez, M. d. C. Montes-Horcasitas, and A. C. Ramos-Valdivia Biosynthesis of Sterols and Triterpenes in Cell Suspension Cultures of Uncaria tomentosa Plant Cell Physiol., December 15, 2002; 43(12): 1502 - 1509. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. J. COOKSEY, P. J. GARRATT, J. S. DAHIYA, and R. N. STRANGE Sucrose: A Constitutive Elicitor of Phytoalexin Synthesis Science, June 24, 1983; 220(4604): 1398 - 1400. [Abstract] [PDF]