An Extracellular α-L-Arabinofuranosidase secreted by Sclerotinia fructigena
Abstract
AN earlier communication1 reported the resolution of a maceration factor from endopolygalacturonase (PG) in culture filtrates of Sclerotinia fructigena Aderh. and Ruhl., by means of gel filtration on dextran Sephadex `G 75' and chromatography on `Ecteola'-cellulose. The biochemical basis of maceration of potato slices by these preparations was not elucidated, but McClendon2 has demonstrated that, in chromatography on cellulose phosphate of an ultra-filtered and freeze-dried sample of our culture filtrate, maceration of potato disks occurred in two peaks, one associated with a major PG peak and the other with a minor PG peak, with indications that arabanase or galactanase may macerate. We have shown independently that arabinose is liberated from potato fibre by a purified `maceration factor' preparation free of PG and, subsequent to McClendon's findings, from lupin seed pectate. Incubation of the purified preparation with potato fibre was also accompanied by a release of soluble uronide, as determined by the carbazole method3 (Fig. 1); the uronide was shown to be of high molecular weight by its failure to pass through a `Visking' dialysis membrane, suggesting that a partial breakdown of in soluble `protopectin' had occurred.
- Publication:
-
Nature
- Pub Date:
- January 1965
- DOI:
- 10.1038/205390b0
- Bibcode:
- 1965Natur.205..390B