THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MALATE SYNTHASE SPECIFIC ACTIVITY OF LIGHT AND DARK SPOREDAGARICS IS NOT DUE TO PHENOLIC CONTAMINATION

The significant difference in specific activity of malate synthase between light and dark spored agarics is not due to phenolic contamination associated with dark spored wall pigments. First, the specific activity of malate synthase was determined for individual species. Then, the specific activity of malate synthase was measured for combined homogenates (i.e., a dark spored species combined with a light spored species). If no interfering phe- nolic compounds were present, the observed specific activity of malate syn- thase for the combined homogenate should equal the expected specific activity of malate synthase (i.e., the sum of the individual specific activity of malate synthase for the two species combined divided by two). Results of such assays found no significant difference between observed and expected specific activ- ity of malate synthase for combined homogenates. The taxonomic implica- tions of these findings are discussed.