CHARACTERIZATION OF CANADIAN ISOLATES OF CHONDROSTEREUM-PURPUREUM BY PROTEIN-CONTENT, API ZYM AND ISOZYME ANALYSES

Seventeen isolates of Chondrostereum purpureum, collected from New Bru nswick, Vancouver Island, and south-eastern British Columbia, Canada, were compared to determine the degree of genetic variation among isola tes from different host species and different biogeographic locations. Several characteristics, including mycelial protein content, fungal b iomass, API ZYM profile (semi-quantitative assay to detect the presenc e of 19 different enzymatic activities in an organism) and isozyme pat terns were measured in these isolates. All 17 isolates shared similar API ZYM profiles, with only minor variation observed in the level of e xpression of specific enzymes. Of the 13 isozyme systems examined, eig ht (acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, beta-esterase, beta-glucos idase, malate dehydrogenase, peroxidase, phosphoglucomutase, and polyp henoloxidase) produced measurable activity. No qualitative differences were observed between the isolates for all of these enzymes. There ap peared to be limited variation between the isolates collected from acr oss Canada and there was no correlation between specific API ZYM, and isozyme patterns and either host plant or geographical source of the i solates.