Alpha-1,4-oligogalacturonides elicit a variety of plant defense responses and affect plant growth and development. Treatment of Phaseolus vulgaris L. suspension cultured cells with oligogalacturonides reduced the level of a 32 kD protein (p32) that is accumulated in the culture medium in the presence of auxin but is not secreted under a condition of auxin starvation. Addition to bean cell suspension cultures of elicitors such as glucan and chitosan had no effect on the p32 level. These data suggest that the regulation of p32 by oligogalacturonides may be important in plant growth and development as well as for plant defense responses.