Abstract
Cutinase is a kind of esterases that degrades plant cuticular fatty-acid-polyester "cutin". Cutinases can degrade some polyester plastics as well as cutin, so this enzyme is useful for industrial area. Cutinases have been well investigated in some fungi. It is assumed that fungi use cutinases in their penetration process into plants. In case of plants, cutinase activity was found in pollen grains. Thus, plant cutinase seems to function in pollentube penetration into the stigma. However no plant cutinase genes or proteins have been identified. To identify plant cutinase, we used Arabidopsis thaliana. We have developped a new screening method for isolating a cutinase gene. The screening method and a possible function of the isolated plant cutinase will be discussed.
