A METHOD FOR DETECTING CARBOXYPEPTIDASE ACTIVITY IN THE SAPSTAINING FUNGUS, OPHIOSTOMA-PICEAE, GROWING IN ARTIFICIAL MEDIUM OR IN WOOD

A convenient and sensitive procedure which allows for the direct detec tion of carboxypeptidase A (CPA) and carboxypeptidase B (CPB) activiti es in crude fungal samples without any further purification is describ ed. Carboxypeptidase activity is detected by generation of the fluores cent product Dansyl-Gly from Dansyl-Gly-Phe for CPA activity and from Dansyl-Gly-Arg for CPB activity using high voltage paper electrophores is. CPA and CPB activities were shown to be present in the sapstaining fungus, Ophiostoma piceae, growing in liquid culture or in wood.