Extracellular Laccases: Biochemical Markers for Agaricus Systematics

ABSTRACT

Isozyme analysis of extracellular laccases (ECLs) of Agaricus spp. on Polyacrylamide gels revealed patterns of activity which were dissimilar between species but largely invariant within species. In many species the various ECL electromorphs in the culture medium appeared and disappeared, or became more or less abundant, in a temporal sequence of several weeks duration. There is a tendency for some ECL bands to increase in mobility by 1–2 percent as cultures age. Electrophoretic comparison of ECLs appears to be a promising method contributing toward systematic resolution and phylogenetic reconstruction in Agaricus.

Key Words:

• laccase
• isozymes
• Agaricus
• systematics