ISOZYME AND MORPHOLOGICAL-CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ANAEROBIC FUNGUS PIROMYCES MAE ISOLATED FROM THE DUODENUM, RUMEN AND FECES OF SHEEP

Isolates of anaerobic fungi obtained from the rumen, duodenum and faec es of sheep were identified as Piromyces mae based on their morphologi cal characteristics observed using light microscopy. There was no sign ificant morphological variation among the isolates of P. mae from the rumen, duodenum and faeces. Isozymes of 12 isolates of P. mne (one eac h from the rumen, duodenum and faeces from 4 different sheep) were ana lysed by PAGE. A total of 12 isozymes were studied and 5 isozyme loci were successfully typed. They were malic enzyme, malate dehydrogenase, shikimate dehydrogenase, alpha-esterase and beta-esterase. All the is olates of P. mae regardless of whether they were from the rumen, duode num or faeces or from different animals produced very similar isozyme banding patterns for each of the enzyme systems. The similar isozyme p rofiles of the isolates indicate that they are of the same species alt hough they exist in different regions of the alimentary tract.