Induction of β-Glucosidase in Botrytis cinerea by Cell Wall Fractions of the Host Plant

Abstract

The pathogenicity of Botrytis cinerea has been found to correlate positively with the β-glucosidase activity. In this report, the relationship between the induction of β-glucosidase and the components of host plant tissues was studied by the use of tissue fractions and cellulose-related compounds. The most active enzyme induced by the crude fiber fraction and Avicel was β-glucosidase, among the cell wall degrading enzymes tested. The β-glucosidase was very inducible in the strains with strong pathogenicity, and intensively degraded the fiber fraction made from apple fruit tissues. The same degradation of the cell wall fraction was demonstrated with the purified enzyme.