Record ID No. |
25 |
Author(s) |
Bougoure D.S., Cairney J.W.G. , 2006 |
Affiliation |
University of Western Sydney, Centre for Plant & Food Science, Parramatta Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 1797, Australia, Email: j.cairney@uws.edu.au |
Title |
Chitinolytic activities of ericoid mycorrhizal and other root-associated fungi from Epacris pulchella (Ericaceae) |
Source. Vol.(no):Page |
Mycological Research. 110(3): 328-334p. |
Categories |
Ericoid Mycorrhiza |
Subjects |
Biochemistry |
Sub-subjects |
Carbohydrate metabolism |
Host |
Epacris pulchella (Ericaceae) |
Organism |
Hymenoscyphus ericae |
Country |
Australia |
Abstracts |
Ericoid mycorrhizal endophytes and other root-associated fungi from Epacris pulchella (Ericaceae) in an eastern Australian sclerophyll forest, along with Hymenoscyphus ericae, were tested for their abilities to produce extracellular chitinolytic activities during growth in axenic culture. Two root-associated fungi produced activities that were active against only a monomeric 4-methylumbelliferyl (4-MU) glycoside of N-acetylglucosamine, suggesting exo-acting beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.52) activity. All ericoid mycorrhizal fungi and two root-associated fungi produced activities against dimeric and trimeric 4-MU glycosides of N-acetylglucosamine, suggesting production of chitobiosidase and endo-acting chitinase (EC 3.2.1.14) respectively in addition to beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase. Specific activities for all ericoid mycorrhizal fungi, including H. ericae, were of the same order of magnitude, suggesting that their chitinolytic potential is broadly similar. Chitinase activities were only produced by an ericoid mycorrhizal fungus when chitin was included in the medium, however, no activity was produced if glucose was also present in the medium. |