A Survey of the Production of Pectic Enzymes by Plant Pathogenic and other Bacteria

Abstract

SUMMARY: Sixty-seven cultures of plant pathogenic bacteria, of the genera Agrobacterium, Corynebacterium, Erwinia, Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas, and 56 cultures of non-pathogenic bacteria were tested for production of pectic enzymes in culture. γ-Pectinglycosidase was produced by 22 strains of pathogenic bacteria and by 15 non-pathogens. Pectin methyl esterase was produced by a few pathogens: the soft-rot erwinias, X. campestris and one of three strains of X. vasculorum.