Wheat germ agglutinin in wheat seedling roots: induction by elicitors and fungi.
Treatment of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings with elicitors originating from either plant or fungal cell walls induces about a 2-fold increase of wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) in the roots. While the WGA content in roots of healthy plants normally decreases as a function of germination time, a transient accumulation of WGA could be observed in plants challenged with different fungi, including Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium culmorum, Pythium ultimum and Neurospora crassa. Peak levels in challenged roots were 2 to 5 times as high as in control plants. Most of this induced WGA could be released from the roots by soaking them in a solution of the hapten N-acetylglucosamine. On the basis of the results obtained it is postulated that WGA may be involved in the defence of wheat against fungal attack.
Laboratorium voor Plantenbiochemie, K.U. Leuven, Willem De Croylaan, 42, B-3030, Leuven, Belgium.
B P
BP
Cammue
W F
WF
Broekaert
W J
WJ
Peumans