The Role of Cell Wall-Degrading Enzymes in the Development of Anthracnose Disease Caused by Colletotrichum truncatum in the Chilli
Abstract
The ability of Colletotrichumtruncatum CP2 in producing pectinolytic and cellulolytic enzymes was evaluated by shake flask ferment ations. The results of enzymatic activity experiment indicated that PG was the first cell wall -degrading enzymes detected and the activities obtained were higher (0.24±0.10 U/mL) than other enzymes, which appeared later and in lower amount. After the cell wall was degraded by the action of PG, further degradation of the cell wall was affected by pectin methylesterases, pectin lyase, pectate lyase and cellulases. The disparity in enzymatic activity at different interval s may suggest their specific role for p athogenesis at proper timings.
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Introduction
Chilli ( Capsicum annuum L .) belongs to the Solanaceae family is a profitable crop worldwide as it is not exclusively used as a spice in numerous cooking styles but also found to have numerous therapeutic properties. Chillies are commercially grown in tropical and sub -tropical coun tries like India, China, Japan, United States of America and African countries (Saxena et al., 2016) . Nonetheless, numerous limitations have significantly decreased chilli production worldwide. Plant disease caused by mainly fungi is the major constrain in chilli production worldwide as it can affect both tropical and subtropical region and even in temperate region.
The secretion of cell wall -degrading enzymes by fungal pathogen is an important factor that contributes to the pathogenicity of fungal pathogens during interaction with its host. These cell wall -degrading enzymes enable the fungal pathogens to penetrate in to the cell wall more easily due to the decomposition of the cell wall polyshaccharides. Subsequently, the fungal pathogens will acquire the carbon from the decomposed plant tissues. Several studies have addressed the cell wall -degrading enzymes secretion by fungal pathogens and its specific relation with pathogenicity (Niture, 2008) .
Recently, most research has been intensified on the pectinolytic enzymes secreted by fungal pathogens. The virulence of many pathogens has been suggested to be dependent on t he level of pectinolytic enzymes produced during infection (Rogers et al., 2000) .However, the specific role of these enzymes in pathogenesis of fungal pathogen in chilli is still unknown. Till date, there are no published reports on pectinolytic enzymes ac tivities related to pathogenicity of C. truncatum in chilli anthracnose . The aim of this study was to determine the production of cell wall -degrading enzymes by C. truncatum CP2 in submerged fermentation as a preliminary step to establish the role of these enzymes in the C. truncatum CP2 and chilli interaction.
Conclusion
In conclusion, cellwall -degrading enzymes likely to be involved in cellwall degradation during surface host penetration and invasion are both pectinases and cellulose. PG was the most important enzyme in initiating the process of cellwall degradation. Once the cellwall was degraded by the action of PG, further degradation of the cellwall was influenced by PME, PL, PNL and cellulases. The variation in enzymatic activity at different intervals may suggest their specific role for pathogenesis at proper timings.
