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Physiology and Biochemistry

Cutin Degradation by Plant Pathogenic Fungi. Con J. Baker, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853; Durward F. Bateman, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. Phytopathology 68:1577-1584. Accepted for publication 15 May 1978. Copyright © 1978 The American Phytopathological Society, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121. All rights reserved.. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-68-1577.

Sixteen plant pathogenic fungi were cultured on a V-8 juice broth medium for 3-5 days at 25 C. This medium then was replaced with either a minimum salts or a V-8 juice broth medium supplemented with 0.5% apple cutin. The cultures were allowed to incubate for an additional period of up to 14 days, during which time samples of the culture fluids were assayed periodically for cutinase. Cutinase activity was determined routinely by measuring the release of ether-soluble radioactivity from ³H-cutin at pH 5.0 and 8.5. Cutinase activity was demonstrated in the culture fluids of the following fungi: Botrytis cinerea, B. squamosa, Cladosporium cucumerinum, Colletorichum graminicola, Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli, F. solani f. sp. pisi, F. roseum, Gloeocercospora sorghi, Helminthosporium carbonum, H. maydis (race T), Pythium aphanidermatum, P. arrhenomanes, P. ultimum, Rhizoctonia solani, Stemphylium loti, and Sclerotium rolfsii. The released of fatty acids from cutin by culture filtrates of 12 of the fungi studied was corroborated by gas-liquid chromatography of reaction products.