Production of proteases by Fusarium species grown on barley grains and in media containing cereal proteins

The production of proteases by the cereal plant pathogens Fusarium culmorum, F. graminearum and F. poae was followed through seven days of cultivation. The fungi were grown in mineral and in gluten culture media, and on autoclaved barley grains. The proteolytic activities of each sample were analysed at pH 2·2, 5·0 and 8·0 and the pH optima of the most active proteases were determined. All of the fungi grown in the gluten medium produced proteases that were active at pH levels between 6 and 10 and were most active at about pH 9·0. Fusarium poae also produced acid protease(s) with pH optima between 3.0 and 3.5 when grown in the gluten medium. No protease activity was detected in the cultures that were grown in the mineral medium, except that a small amount was formed after the glucose substrate was depleted. When grown on the barley grain medium the Fusarium species produced protease activities that were similar to the neutral and alkaline ones present in the gluten cultures, but no pH 2·2 protease activity was detected. The alkaline proteases had some characteristics that were similar to those of chymotrypsin.