Potential of spore protein profiles as identification tools for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Abstract

Five hundred spores from monospecific AMF cultures of Glomus clarum, G. mosseae, G. versiforme, G. fasciculatum, G. etunicatum, and a Glomus sp. isolate BVB1 were crushed in a modified sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) reducing buffer and 0.5 μg spore protein aliquots were subjected to one dimensional SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (1D SDS-PAGE). Silver-stained gels revealed a unique and reproducible protein profile for each of the AMF species tested. The average similarity between any two AMF species ranged ca 10–51%, as determined using an unweighted pair-group average approach. Furthermore, each of the AMF species possessed signature protein bands that were reproducible and consistent. SDS-PAGE of AMF spores is a simple and sensitive technique capable of distinguishing between AMF species that could be used for the routine identification of unknown AMF isolates.

Key Words:

• AMF spores
• collective protein profile
• 1-D SDS PAGE