Thermal characteristics of cell-wall-bound pectin methylesterase (PME) from cucumbers were determined. Heat inactivation of PME followed first-order reaction kinetics. Biphasic inactivation curves indicated the presence of heat-labile and heat-stable fractions. Inactivation of PME accelerated above 65 7C.The z values between 70 7C and 80 7C were 7.6 7C and 9.0 7C for heat-stable fractions of ionically (IPME) and tightly cell wall bound PME (TPME), respectively. Temperature optima for the initial activities of IPME and TPME were 65 7C and 60 7C, respectively. However, for longer periods of activity determination, both IPME and TPME showed a temperature optimum at 50 7C. The E a values for initial activities were 5 kcal mol -1 (20-65 7C) and 7.2 kcal mol -1 (20-60 7C) for IPME and TPME, respectively.