Abstract
Alterations of plant cell walls and degradation of their components are common features of infection by pathogenic agents. These changes are brought about by cell-wall-degrading enzymes which are produced by almost all pathogenic and nonpathogenic fungi and bacteria. In diseases induced by certain nonbiotrophs, alterations of the cell wall are more dramatic. In such cases dissolution of cell wall components and middle lamella by pathogen-produced enzymes causes separation of cells and waterlogging of infected tissues, a process known as “maceration.” Activity of pectic enzymes also causes death of plant cells by a mechanism which is not yet completely understood. This chapter discusses structure and chemistry of the plant cell walls, nature and mechanism of action of pathogen-produced cell-wall-degrading enzymes, and the role of these enzymes in plant cell wall degradation, tissue maceration, and cell death.
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© 1982 I. J. Misaghi
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Misaghi, I.J. (1982). The Role of Pathogen-Produced Cell-Wall-Degrading Enzymes in Pathogenesis. In: Physiology and Biochemistry of Plant-Pathogen Interactions. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1149-2_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1149-2_3
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-1151-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-1149-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive