Profile of peroxidase isoforms influenced by spongy tissue disorder in Alphonso mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruits

This paper describes the profile of peroxidase (POX) isoenzymes induced due to the natural infection of Staphylococcus xylosus in spongy Alphonso mango fruits. Very low levels of protein and POX activity was observed in non-spongy unripe fruits, and when these fruits turned table-ripe, the levels of both the protein content and POX activity increased several fold. The spongy fruits, however, showed further 2-fold increase in POX activity; although drastic decrease in protein content was observed. Anionic and cationic PAGE, and isoelectric focusing (IEF), resulted in separation of various isoenzymes of POX. Both, anionic and cationic PAGE indicated that, at unripe stage, only basic isoforms were present in trace amounts. In non-spongy ripe fruits, increased levels of both anionic and cationic isoforms were observed after staining the gel with o-dianisidine, the POX substrate. In spongy fruits, however, an anionic PAGE showed appearance of four acidic isoforms with relative electrophoretic mobility (REM) of 0.52, 0.73, 0.78, and 0.84 and an isoenzyme (REM 0.52), showed further activation, as indicated by the intense dark color formation. Cationic PAGE also indicated higher levels of two basic isoforms (REM 0.56 and 0.62), in the spongy fruits. Isoelectric focusing resolved these isoenzymes in acidic, neutral, and basic isoforms. Two acidic isoforms in the pI range of 2-3.5 were detected toward the anode region and two cationic isoforms of pI 7.8 and 8.7, toward the cathode, giving visible indication of increased levels of these isoforms. The increased intensities of the POX bands observed in anionic and cationic PAGE, and IEF, gave confirmatory evidence for the up regulation of anionic and cationic isoforms in spongy fruits. These isoenzymes could have been overexpressed as a defense response of the spongy fruits against the Staphylococcus infection.