The Pro-Form ofStereum purpureumEndopolygalacturonase I Is Inactivated by a Pro-Sequence in the C-Terminal Region

The Pro-form (Pro-EndoPG I) of Stereum purpureum endopolygalacturonase I has a unique C-terminal region (pro-sequence) that is lacking in PGs of other origins. Mature EndoPG I purified from the culture filtrate of this fungus does not have the 44-amino-acid pro-sequence present in Pro-EndoPG I. We expressed Pro-EndoPG I in Escherichia coli and examined its activity. It was found that Pro-EndoPG I had no PG activity, but that PG activity was acquired after the degradation of part of the pro-sequence with V8 protease. These results suggest that the pro-sequence inactivates auto-PG activity. No similar characteristic has been reported for any glycoside hydrolase. We then constructed EndoPG I mutants and identified two Glu residues, E364 and E366, that were related to auto-inactivation. A test involving injection of the enzyme into apple trees showed that Pro-EndoPG I induced the same silver-leaf symptoms as mature EndoPG I.