defence

Polygalacturonases (PGs) are secreted by pathogens to solubilize the plant cell wall and are required for pathogen virulence. Plant proteins that inhibit PG limit the growth of pathogens and at the same time also elicit defence responses in plants by increasing the lifetime of oligogalacturonoides. These polygalacturo-nase-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) are one of the well-elucidated leucine-rich repeat proteins. We review the properties of PGIPs, molecular aspects of their inter-action with PG and their possible appliction to the development of disease-resistant transgenic crop plants. PECTIN is a major component of the primary walls of di-cotyledonous and non-graminaceous monocotyledonous cells. During pathogenesis, cell walls act as the first line of defence that pathogens encounter to colonize the plan