CORRELATION BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL-FACTORS AND LICHEN METABOLISM - ISOZYMES AND PHENOLICS ACIDS

Isozymes and phenolic acids are Very important biochemical compounds i n the lichen metabolism, and have been described to show correlation t o enviromnental conditions. We have analysed six Brazilian lichen spec ies: Cladonia verticillaris, C. dendroides, C. furfuracea, C. crispatu la, Heterodermia leucomela and Usnea sp, from different locations. Iso zymes analysis was carried out by starch gel electrophoresis of seven enzymatic systems: ACPH, ALP, EST, HBDH, HK, PGI and PGM; Jaccard simi larity coefficients between samples were calculated. Cortical and medu llar phenolic acids were studied by RP-HPLC and a quantitative similar ity index was obtained for pairwise comparisons. The results obtained with these two approaches are highly congruent and showed that specime ns from the same geographical area are more similar than those collect ed from different areas, even though they belong to the same species. Based upon these results, correlations between isozymes and phenolic a cids and environinental conditions are suggested. According to this, t he isozymic and phenolic pattern of different species from the same ar ea are more similar than those observed for the same species from diff erent localities.