Co-Authors:
Nachmias, A., Division of Plant Pathology, Agricultural Research Organization, Gilat Regional Experiment Station, Negev, Israel
Buchner, V., Department of Organic Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Burstein, Y., Department of Organic Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Abstract:
A low molecular weight (less than 3000) phytotoxic polypeptide fraction was partially purified from the protein-lipopolysaccharide (PLP) complexes produced in culture by a strain of Verticillium dahliae pathogenic on potato. The toxic fraction was host-specific and antigenically identical to the high molecular weight PLP. Immunodiffusion and immunofluorescence assays showed that a substance is present in stems and tubers of infected potato plants which was antigenically related to the low molecular weight toxin. When used as a tool for screening new potato varieties for tolerance to Verticillium wilt disease, the low molecular weight toxin was more reliable than the PLP because non-specific sensitivity to macromolecules was not observed. © 1985.