Cutin Degradation by Plant Pathogenic Fungi

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Abstract
Sixteen plant pathogenic fungi were cultured on a V-8 juice broth medium for 3-5 days at 25.degree. 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 release of fatty acids from cutin by culture filtrates of 12 of the fungi was corroborated by GLC of reaction products.