Isozyme Studies in Anthurium Andraeanum and Related Species

Studies were conducted to assess the feasibility of the use of gel electrophoresis of different isozyme systems as a tool to examine the genus Anthurium. Procedures were also developed to extract active enzymes from anthurium tissues. Clear zymograms were obtained from only one of three extraction methods examined. This method consisted of grinding the tissue in liquid nitrogen and then adding a buffer containing reducing agents, a phenol oxidase inhibitor and PVPP to the ground tissue. Peroxidase tissue specificity was assessed using three A. andraeanxm cultivars. Some specificity among tissues within each cultivar was noted. However, similarities and differences of the banding patterns among the three cultivars were not consistent. The identification of seven A. andraeanum cultivars was undertaken using seven enzymes systems. Banding was noted in four of these enzyme systems; glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), peroxidase (Px) and phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI). Characterization of all seven cultivars was indicated by the combined data of Px, MDH and PGI. Thirty six species were used to evaluate the significance of peroxidase banding patterns in anthurium taxonomy. A total of 32 peroxidase band positions were recognized for the species surveyed. UPGMA cluster analysis was applied to the data. The euialysis indicates that isozymes in Anthuriiom have some taxonomic value. Additional work is required, however, before practical use can be made of the technique