IDENTIFICATION OF VESICULAR‐ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN ROOTS OF LEEK (ALLIUM PORRUM L.) AND MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) ON THE BASIS OF ENZYME MOBILITY DURING POLYACRYLAMIDE GEL ELECTROPHORESIS

Abstract

SummaryThe mobilities of three enzymes, esterase (EST), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and peptidase (PEP), during polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis have been used to identify individual species of vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in roots. The enzyme banding patterns obtained from mycorrhizal root extracts were compared with those of uninfected roots. Chlamydospores, external mycelium and internal mycelium (obtained by enzymic digestion of host root tissue) were used as controls to confirm the position of the fungal specific enzyme bands on the gels. Glomus caledonium (Nicol. and Gerd.) Trappe and Gerd. and Glomus mosseae (Nicol. and Gerd.) Gerd. and Trappe could be detected in leek (Allium porrum L.) roots against the host background by the mobility of bands of EST, GOT and PEP activity and it was possible to detect both G. caledonium and G. mosseae in leek roots which had been grown in the presence of a mixed inoculum, by staining for any of these three enzymes. Glomus mosseae could be identified in maize (Zea mays L.) roots by location of GOT and PEP activity but the major bands of EST, GOT and PEP activity in G. caledonium had the same mobility as those of maize and so this fungus could not be easily identified in this host using these experimental conditions. Glomus fasciculatum (Thaxter sensu Gerd.) Gerd. and Trappe type E3 had a characteristic PEP band which was separable from leek and maize host bands and this fungus could also be identified in maize roots by the position on the gel of fungal GOT activity.