Involved in maceration and soft-rotting of plant tissue. Pectate lyases have been implicated as pathogenicity factors which induce maceration or rotting of plant tissue. PelE is sufficient to induce these effects under laboratory conditions. Eliminative cleavage of (1->4)-alpha-D-galacturonan to give oligosaccharides with 4-deoxy-alpha-D-galact-4-enuronosyl groups at their non-reducing ends. Binds 1 Ca(2+) ion per subunit. Glycan metabolism; pectin degradation; 2-dehydro-3-deoxy-D-gluconate from pectin: step 2/5. Belongs to the polysaccharide lyase 1 family. PLBC subfamily.