Differences in the biochemical compositions and elicitor activity of extracellular components produced by three races of a fungal plant pathogen, Colletotrichum lindemuthianum
High molecular weight products from the α, β, and γ races of Colletotrichum lin-differed in their carbohydrate and protein compositions and in their abilities to elicit symptoms of a hypersensitive response in dark red kidney bean. The neutral sugar composition of the products varied in their proportions of rhamnose, mannose, galactose, and glucose. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed the protein components to be more numerous in the β race products than in the α or γ race products. Each protein band co-stained for carbohydrate. Highest elicitor activity was observed in the products from the α race, a race avirulent on dark red kidney. The products from the weakly virulent γ race were about 10-fold less active as elicitors than those of the α race. With the β race, a race highly virulent on dark red kidney, elicitor activity was 100-fold less than that of the α race.