Hydrolytic Enzymes of Ungerminated and Germinated Conidia of Erysiphe graminis DC f. sp. hordei Marchal

Activities of hydrolytic enzymes (esterase, lipase, phosphatase, protease, 1,3-β-glucanase, chitinase and amylase) were demonstrated in washings and extracts of ungerminated and germinated conidia of Erysiphe graminis f. sp. hordei , Marchal. No cellulase and only very little xylanase activity was detected. Considerable amounts, 65% of total conidia proteins can be extracted by shaking the conidia when the extraction medium contained non-ionic detergent only. Different extraction procedures were used to determine enzyme distribution between exo- and endoconidial compartments and to evaluate the enzyme extraction efficiency from conidia.
The possible physiological roles of the hydrolytic enzymes in the ungerminated as well as in the germinated conidia were discussed.