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A Trichoderma harzianum chitinase destroys the cell wall of the phytopathogen Crinipellis perniciosa, the causal agent of witches' broom disease of cocoa

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Abstract

A Trichoderma harzianum isolate (1051), which was able to antagonize in field the phytopathogen Crinipellis perniciosa, the causal agent of witches' broom disease of cocoa, produces several hydrolytic enzymes. A chitinase, with molecular mass of about 37 kDA, which was secreted by the Trichoderma in the culture medium containing chitin, was partially purified by gel filtration followed by hydrophobic chromatography. The optimal pH and temperature for chitin hydrolysis by the partially purified enzyme were 4.0 and 37 °C, respectively. Chitobiose, laminarin, cellulosic substrates including aryl-glucosides, xylan, starch and β-galactomannan were not hydrolysed by the enzyme. Remarkably, the partially purified enzyme drastically affected the cell wall of the phytopathogen C. perniciosa in vitro.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, 70.910-900, Brasília, DF, Brasil

    Janice Lisboa De Marco, Marcelo Valle de Sousa & Carlos R. Felix

  2. Centro Brasileiro de Recursos Genéticos, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Brasília, DF, Brasil

    Luzia Helena C. Lima

Authors
  1. Janice Lisboa De Marco
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  2. Luzia Helena C. Lima
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  3. Marcelo Valle de Sousa
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  4. Carlos R. Felix
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De Marco, J.L., Lima, L.H.C., de Sousa, M.V. et al. A Trichoderma harzianum chitinase destroys the cell wall of the phytopathogen Crinipellis perniciosa, the causal agent of witches' broom disease of cocoa. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 16, 383–386 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008964324425

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008964324425

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