Extracellular proteases of Botrytis cinerea and peculiarities of their secretion

The ability of ubiquitous necrotrophic plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea to secrete proteolytic enzymes in broth media was examined. It was found that protease secretion is mostly inducible and acidic proteases are responsible for the highest total extracellular proteolytic activity of the fungus. Results from analysis of substrate specificity and inhibitor assay have revealed the presence of aminopeptidases (leucyl and phenylalanyl), serine (trypsinand subtilisin-like) and aspartic proteases in culture liquid. The pathogen produced identical spectrum of proteolytic enzymes in medium containing plant cell walls or casein. The data provide evidence that pH-, time course and biomass accumulation dependent regulatory mechanisms are essential for protease activity of B. cinerea. Putative functional roles of several groups of extracellular proteolytic enzymes are discussed in connection with the peculiarities of their secretion.

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