Polygalacturonase isozymes produced by Phomopsis cucurbitae in relation to postharvest decay of cantaloupe fruit

Production of polygalacturonase (PG), a cell wall-degrading enzyme, by Phomopsis cucurbitae (latent infection fungus) was studied in relation to different carbon sources and various stages of cantaloupe fruit development. P. cucurbitae produced multiple PG isozymes both in vitro and in vivo. The fungus produced the highest PG activity and the greatest number of isozymes on pectin compared with those produced on glucose, galactose, and sucrose. Eight P. cucurbitae PG isozymes (pIs 3.7, 4.2, 6.6, 7.0, 7.3, 7.5, 7.8, and 8.6) were detected in extract from inoculated mature fruit (40 days after anthesis) by isoelectric focusing. Isozyme bands with pIs of 4.2, 7.3, and 7.8 were the most prominent. A similar set of PG isozymes was produced by P. cucurbitae in autoclaved mature fruit tissue (mesocarp). When tissue discs taken from 20-, 30-, 40-, and 50-day postanthesis fruit were inoculated with P. cucurbitae. PG activity and the number of PG isozymes extracted from the macerated fruit tissue discs increased with the degree of fruit maturity and ripening. Increases in PG activity and PG isozymes were also correlated with reactivation of latent infections and the beginning of tissue maceration. An anionic PG isozyme (pI 4.2) was only visualized on decayed 50-day-old fruit exocarp, as well as 40- and 50-day-old Fruit mesocarp. The experimental results support the hypotheses that P. cucurbitae PG isozymes play an important role in fruit decay once latent infection becomes active following harvest.