Pm. Chimwamurombe et al., Cloning and sequence analysis of the endopolygalacturonase gene from the pitch canker fungus, Fusarium circinatum, CURR MICROB, 42(5), 2001, pp. 350-352
The fungus Fusarium circinatum causes pitch canker disease on mature pine t
rees and root rot and damping-off of pine seedlings, Endopolygalacturonases
(endoPGs) play a major role during penetration of plants by fungi. Digesti
on of the pectic polysaccharides in the plant primary cell walls is one of
the earliest functions of endoPGs during infection. The research objective
was to clone and characterize the gene encoding endopolygalacturonase in F.
circinatum. A 970-bp DNA fragment was cloned by using degenerate PCR ampli
fication from F, circinatum DNA. Sequence data for this fragment were used
to design specific primers for use in genome walking to amplify and sequenc
e the remaining portion of the F. circinatum endoPG gene (Fcpg), The amino
acid sequence predicted from this gene showed 90% and 87% similarity to Fus
arium oxysporum and Fusarium moniliforme endoPGs, respectively.