: Efficient enzymic degradation of cellulose in isolated cell wall material of apples requires prior removal of its xyloglucan coating. In this study, raw and blanched apple fruit tissues were treated with pectin lyase and various (combinations of puriÐed) cellulases. These experiments conÐrmed that xyloglucanase activity is important for cellulose degradation in apple fruit tissue. Apart from this, it was observed that raw apple material disintegrated faster than blanched. Typically, the release of xyloglucan oligosaccharide XXXG from raw apple material was slower (relative to XXFG) when compared to that from blanched material. The endogenous enzyme, xyloglucan endotransglycosylase (XET), is probably responsible for these phenomena. It is hypothesised that XET activity accelerates disintegration of apple tissue once its depolymerising mode is triggered by xyloglucan oligosaccharides released by exogenous endoglucanases.

Efficient enzymic degradation of cellulose in isolated cell wall material of apples requires prior removal of its xyloglucan coating. In this study, raw and blanched apple fruit tissues were treated with pectin lyase and various (combinations of purified) cellulases. These experiments confirmed that xyloglucanase activity is important for cellulose degradation in apple fruit tissue. Apart from this, it was observed that raw apple material disintegrated faster than blanched. Typically, the release of xyloglucan oligosaccharide XXXG from raw apple material was slower (relative to XXFG) when compared to that from blanched material. The endogenous enzyme, xyloglucan endotransglycosylase (XET), is probably responsible for these phenomena. It is hypothesised that XET activity accelerates disintegration of apple tissue once its depolymerising mode is triggered by xyloglucan oligosaccharides released by exogenous endoglucanases. © 1997 SCI.