Occurrence of a lipase in spores of Alternaria brassicicola with a crucial role in the infection of cauliflower leaves

Abstract

Alternaria brassicicola is a pathogen that penetrates directly through the host cuticle thanks to several serine esterases, according to our findings. Among these, an 80-kDa lipase (E.C 3.1.1. 3) was detected by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting in the water washings of ungerminated spores. The purified lipase cross-reacted with Botrytis cinerea anti-lipase antibodies, which were reported to inhibit the in vitro lipase activity. Anti-lipase antibodies were added to a conidial suspension of A. brassicicola prior to inoculation. As a result, blackspot lesions were reduced by 90% on intact cauliflower leaves, but not on leaves from which surface wax had been removed. Spore surface-bound lipase is thought to interact closely with epicuticular leaf waxes for adhesion and/or penetration of the fungal propagules during the early stages of host-parasite interactions.