PURIFICATION OF A METALLOPROTEASE PRODUCED BY ERWINIA-CAROTOVORA SSP CAROTOVORA AND THE DEGRADATION OF POTATO LECTIN IN-VITRO

An extracellular metalloprotease has been purified to homogeneity from the culture medium of Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora. It had an apparent molecular mass of 53 kDa assessed by SDS gel electrophoresis , a pI of 5.4 and an N-terminal sequence of A-V-V-X-V-E-Q-Y-V-N-A-D-G- A-V-V-I-P-A-A-V-V. The protease was able to degrade, in vitro, potato lectin, a hydroxyproline rich glycoprotein implicated in disease resis tance. The possible role of protease in the infection process is discu ssed. (C) 1995 Academic Press Limited