Fungal-tomato pathogens

The existence of tomatinases in fungal-tomato pathogens supports the idea that tomatine may play a role in resistance to fungal attack because these enzymes seem to act specifically on tomatine. Such a role is also supported by the finding that at least in F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, tomatinase is produced during infection both in roots and stems... 

Two examples have been chosen for discussion, i.e. the interactions of tomato with Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and with Cladosporium fulvum, a bacterial and a fungal pathogen, respectively. These two plant pathogen interactions are among the few that have been characterized not only in genetic terms but also at the molecular and biochemical levels and they are thus well suited for a discussion of the fundamental principles. 

Osbourn, A.E., Wubben, J.P., Daniels, M J. Saponin detoxification by phytopathogenic fungi. In Plant-Microbe Interactions Volume 2. Stacey, G, Keen, N.T. ed., New York Chapman and Hall, 1995a, pp. 99-124. Osbourn, A. Bowyer, P., Lunness, P., Clarke, B., Daniels, M. Fungal pathogens of oat roots and tomato leaves employ closely related enzymes to detoxify different host plant saponins. Mol Plant Microb Interact 1995b 8 971-978. 

AAL-Toxin. Stem canker of tomato is caused by the fungal pathogen Alternaria alternata f. sp. Ivcooersici (21). Concentrations of less that 10 ng/ml of AAL-toxin [14], a host-specific toxin, can produce disease symptoms. Two phytotoxic fractions have been isolated from fungal culture filtrates that reproduce disease symptoms in susceptible plants. These fractions are termed T ... 

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