COMPARISON OF HYDROLYTIC ENZYMES PRODUCED DURING GROWTH ON CARBOHYDRATE SUBSTRATES BY TERMITOMYCES ASSOCIATES OF PSEUDACANTHOTERMES SPINIGER AND MICROTERMES SUBHYALINUS (ISOPTERA, TERMITIDAE)

Fungus growing termites are widely distributed in Africa and Indomalay a. Their impact on the turnover of organic matter depends to a large e xtent on the capacity of their fungal associates (Termitomyces spp.) t o degrade the components of wood and other structural polysaccharides. Hydrolytic enzymes of Termitomyces sp. n.i. and Termitomyces eurhizus , respectively the symbionts of the termites Microtermes subhyalinus a nd Pseudacanthotermes spiniger were assayed following growth on a vari ety of monosaccharide, disaccharide and polysaccharide substrates. Fun gal nodules (= mycotetes) were also assayed. The determination of osid asic activities from mycotetes indicated that these fungi were able to degrade starch, xylan and cellulose but T. sp. n.i, acted essentially on xylan while Termitomyces eurhizus is amylolytic. The capacities of these fungi to produce osidases on different substrates were quite si milar, except when they grew on fungus comb extracts as carbon source. The reasons for the metabolic differences observed are discussed.