To establish a method for identifying Porphyra species, polyacrylamide
gel electrophoresis was used to examine the presence of isozymes at t
he growing stage from conchocelis (2n) to leafy thalli (n). The five P
orphyra species used in this experiment were P. tenera (Minomi), P. te
nera (Matsukawa), P. yezoensis f. narawaensis, P. yezoensis (Saga10),
and P. yezoensis (Green). The six enzymes for examining isozymes were
CAT, POD, GOT, GDH, ADH, and AK. In conchocelis, the six enzymes diffe
red with the five species. Particularly, POD and GOT were effective fo
r separating P. tenera and P. yezoensis, and CAT and AK for identifyin
g the tested species. POD and GOT showed the same isozyme profiles in
leafy thalli and conchocelis. Other enzymes had fewer isozymes in leaf
y thalli than conchocelis. CAT showed no significant difference among
the species, and AK was effective only for separating P. tenera and P.
yezoensis.