Characterization of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi ( Glomus spp) by selective enzyme staining following polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Six species of Glomus have been characterized by subjecting spore extracts to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and selective enzyme staining. The banding patterns of six enzymes (esterase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, hexokinase, malate dehydrogenase, peptidase and phosphoglucomutase) were diagnostic for each species and recommendations of suitable enzymes to distinguish between these fungi are given. Spores of Glomus caledonium which had been produced in a variety of soils and hosts gave the same banding patterns with four enzymes.