The cell walls of higher plants are dynamic structures which
undergo changes in composition and structure in relation to cell
age, tissue type, and environmental stimuli. Individual components
of the cell wall respond to physical damage (wounding),
hormones, pathogen infection, and treatment with fungal elicitors
(for review, see Showalter and Varner [11]). Moreover,
endogenous cell wall oligosaccharins have been identified which
when released affect the synthesis of defense related plant enzymes
as well as serve to initiate a variety of developmental
programs (3, 14). Thus, an understanding of cell wall components
and their interactions is a prerequisite toward elucidating
the roles cell wall chemistry and architecture play in plant growth
and development.
Analysis of the protein composition