The production of H2 O2 by cucumber hypocotyl segments (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Wisconsin SMR 58) in response to α-1,4-linked oligomers of galacturonic acid and oligo-β-glucans from the cell walls of Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea was studied. Oligogalacturonides with degrees of polymerization of 9 to 13 elicited H2 O2 production, the most effective being the deca-, undeca- and dodecamers. A similar relationship between size and effect was previously obtained when oligogalacturonides were tested for their ability to elicit lignification in cucumber hypocotyls. The oligogalacturonide-induced increase in H2 O2 concentration was detected after 4 h, reaching a maximum after 10 h of incubation. The glucan elicitor induced lignification at a 100-fold lower concentration than the oligogalacturonides, but yielded only 10% of the maximum H2 O2 accumulation seen with oligogalacturonides. The glucan elicitor-induced H2 O2 production was detectable after 2 h, and reached a maximum after 4 to 6 h. Catalase abolished the elicitation of both phenol red oxidation and lignification in cucumber hypocotyls. At least part of the oligogalacturonide-induced H2 O2 production appeared to be dependent upon de novo protein synthesis.
Keywords: Cucumber hypocotyls; Cucumis sativus; Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea.; elicitor; hydrogen peroxide; lignification; oligogalacturonide.