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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Plant Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #153134
Title: DETERMINATION OF ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY AMONG BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL CHITINASES

Author
item BENEDICT, HEATHER - UNIV OF MISSOURI
item ROBERTS, CRAIG - UNIV OF MISSOURI
item Beuselinck, Paul
item KARR, ARTHUR - UNIV OF MISSOURI

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/2/2003
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus; BFT) is a high quality pasture legume, but its use is limited by its susceptibility to a wide range of pathogens. General disease resistance of BFT may be improved by increasing chitinase, a defense protein associated with disease resistance. The objective of this study was to identify antifungal isoforms of chitinase in BFT. BFT was extracted, and protein fractions known to contain two chitinolytic isoforms exhibited inhibition of Trichoderma viride. Proteins were separated by particle size chromatography, and elutes containing these two isoforms exhibited activity against T. viride. When the smaller isoform was isolated from the larger isoform, it exhibited fungal inhibition. We concluded that BFT contains isoforms of chitinase that possess antifungal activity.