Immunohistochemical investigation of cotton carpel tissue exposed to xylanolytic hydrolases of Aspergillus flavus

Cotton carpel tissue (35–45 days post-anthesis) that had been treated with a mixture of xylanolytic hydrolases derived from Aspergillus flavus was subjected to immunocytochemical analysis. Microscopic examination of treated tissues revealed severe degradation of the secondary wall structure. Control tissue cells revealed the presence of high concentrations of xylans/arabinoxylans throughout the cell wall, as well as significant concentrations of arabinogalactan proteins in secondary wall structure. Carpel cells treated with a mixture of A. flavus-produced xylanolytic hydrolases showed a much reduced presence of labeling by xylan-specific antibodies on the inner wall surface, suggesting a severe loss of these plant polysaccharides in the secondary wall structure. Carpel exposure to a purified 14 kD endoxylanase from A. flavus also resulted in a severe reduction of xylans from secondary wall structure, although penetration of the tissue was not as dramatic. Arabinogalactan proteins were not as severely affected by the xylanolytic hydrolases. Comparison of control tissue with hydrolase-treated tissue stained with toluidine blue revealed an apparent reduction in wall thickness, supporting the conclusion of secondary wall structure degradation. Interestingly, the pectins could only be detected in the samples treated with xylanolytic enzymes, indicating that the pectins were being masked by xylans. These results are consistent with the conclusion that the xylanolytic hydrolase complex of A. flavus is a critical factor for host cell wall maceration and may represent another important fungal virulence factor, in addition to pectolytic hydrolase activities.