Interaction of Partially Purified Phytotoxins From Phytophthora-cactorum On Apple Cell Plasma-membrane

The 'crude' filtrate (CF) of Phytophthora cactorum containing phytotoxin(s), having some properties similar to the toxins isolated from other Phytophthora species, was processed by three steps (acetone precipitation, dialysis and gel filtration chromatography). The CF fractions corresponding to the progressive steps of purification were tested for phytotoxicity on tomato seedlings and for activity on cell trans-membrane electrical potential (Em) of susceptible and resistant apple rootstocks (Malus domestica). The fractions (F4), obtained from chromatography on Sephadex G50 fine and eluted in the zone corresponding to a molecular weight of 15+/-2 kD, induced a specific alteration on susceptible apple cell membranes. These metabolites, even though incompletely purified, are able to induce a high and specific activity on susceptible apple cell Em only, not on resistant ones. As a consequence, they may be of potential use in screening for insensitive cells