AN ELECTROPHORETIC COMPARISON OF ENZYMES IN THE GENERA LIPOMYCES AND MYXOZYMA

Abstract

A taxonomic study of the genera Lipomyces LODDER et KREGER-VAN RIJ and Myxozyma VAN DER WALT, WEIJMAN et VON ARX was made by comparing the electrophoretic patterns of nine enzymes. The enzymes studied were glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49), glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.4), malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37), lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27), fumarase (EC 4.2.1.2), tetrazolium oxidase, catechol oxidase (EC 1.10.3.1), esterase (EC 3.1.1.1), and glutamate-oxaloacetate-transaminase (EC 2.6.1.1).
Lipomyces lipofer LODDER et KREGER-VAN RJI and Lipomyces tetrasporus NIEDWDORP, BOS et SLOOFF had a uniform pattern within each species. On the other hand, Lipomyces kononenkoae NIEUWDORP, BOS et SLOOFF and Lipomyces starkeyi LODDER et KREGER-VAN RIJ each varied considerably in their enzyme patterns. Though about 50% similarity was observed between L. starkeyi and L. tetrasporus, five Lipomyces species, Lipomyces anomalus BABJEVA et GORIN, L. lipofer, L. kononenkoae, L. starkeyi, and L. tetrasporus, differed from each other in their enzyme patterns. Myxozyma melibiosi (SHIFRINE et PHAFF) VAN DER WALT, WEIJMAN et VON ARX and Myxozyma mucilagina (PHAFF, STARMER, MIRANDA et MILLER) VAN DER WALT WEIJMAN et VON ARX each had a uniform pattern which differed from the five Lipomyces species. The enzyme patterns of six Myxozyma sp. strains were dissimilar to those of two Myxozyma species. One strain of Myxozyma sp. and two strains of L. starkeyi showed about 60% similarity. The enzyme patterns of other Myxozyma sp. strains were dissimilar to those of the five Lipomyces species.