Serological Differentiation of Two Forms of Phellinus Weirii

ABSTRACT

Two forms of Phellinus weirii exist in North America that are morphologically similar, and identification of these isolates is often difficult. The purposes of this study were 1) to assess the potential of using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as a rapid means of separating these two forms in culture and 2) to determine the relatedness of the two forms and P. sulphurascens from Asia using ELISA and Western blots from polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Separation of the two North American forms was achieved using chicken antibodies specific to one of the forms in ELISA. In serological tests, P. sulphurascens and the Douglas-fir form react similarly to one another but differently from the redcedar form. These data support previous suggestions that the two North American forms of P. weirii are distinct species. The assertion that P. sulphurascens is conspecific with P. weirii is supported only when P. sulphurascens is compared serologically with Douglas-fir form isolates.

Key Words:

• ELISA
• Phellinus
• serology
• Western blots