AN ELECTROPHORETIC COMPARISON OF ENZYMES IN STRAINS OF SPECIES IN THE GENUS MRAKIA YAMADA ET KOMAGATA

FILOBASIDIACEAE

Abstract

A taxonomic study below the generic or at the specific level was made of electrophoretic patterns of seven enzymes in 23 strains of Mrakia, Cystofilobasidium, Leucosporidium, and Rhodosporidium species. The seven enzymes were glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, hexokinase, phosphoglucomutase, and fumarase. Seven species, M. frigida, M. gelida, C. bisporidii, C. capitatum, L. antarcticum, L. scottii, and R. infirmominiatum, constituted clusters separate from one another: their similarity values were all 0 or 14%. The three strains of L. antarcticum had quite different enzyme patterns (s=0%). The two Q₉-equipped strains of L. scottii were linked to each other with a similarity value of 57%. The Q₁₀-equipped strain of L. scottii showed dissimilar enzyme patterns to the two Q₉-equipped strains mentioned above (s=14%). The calculated similarity value was 71% between the two strains of C. bisporidii. Among the three strains of R. infirmominiatum examined, the type strain was linked to the remaining two strains (s=43%). The similarity value was 86% between the two strains of R. infirmominiatum. All of the strains of M. frigida and M. nivalis examined had similarity values of 71% or more. The same similarity values were obtained among the examined strains of M. gelida and M. stokesii (s=71% or more). These results are discussed from the taxonomic point of view.