Serine proteases in the extracellular preparations of Phytophthora infestans: does their presence relate to the aggressiveness of the pathogen?

In this study the aggressiveness of nine isolates of P. infestans was determined using detached leaflets from cultivars Bintje and Stirling. The growth of the isolates on the leaflets was recorded on a daily basis, for seven days, and an assessment of their aggressiveness could then be made. Extracellular preparations (ECPs) from the zoospore suspension of each isolate were used as a source of proteolytic activity. The ECPs were found to contain a level of serine protease activity using BTEE (N-Benzoyl-L-Tyrosine Ethyl Ester) as a substrate and recording the absorbance at 256 nm. The possible relationship between the serine protease activity and the aggressiveness of the isolate is discussed.