Chitin signaling and plant disease resistance
Chitin, a polymer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, is an important component of fungal pathogenicity, since fungal pathogens with defects in chitin synthesis are significantly less virulent on the original susceptible hosts. 5, 24 Although plants lack chitin, they do secrete chitin-degrading enzymes. 18, 22 During fungal infection, plant cells secrete chitinases that release chitin fragments ...