Isolation of an elicitor from Rhizoctonia solani, the rice sheath blight pathogen which activates phenylpropanoid metabolism in suspension-cultured rice cells

A high molecular weight elicitor fraction has been isolated from the mycelial walls of Rhizoctonia solani, the rice sheath blight pathogen. It appears to be a glycoprotein. The elicitor preparation induced the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and 4-coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL) in suspension-cultured rice cells and the maximum increase was observed within 12 h after elicitor treatment. Following increase of the first and last enzymes of phenylpropanoid pathway, phenolic content in the suspension-cultured rice cells increased to a maximum at 24 h after elicitor treatment. A co-ordinated increase in PAL and 4CL activities with a concomitant increase in phenolic content in cultured cells of rice due to an elicitor treatment is reported.