Characteristics of the Amylase and its Related Enzymes Produced by Ectomycorrhizal Fungus Tricholoma matsutake

Extracellular amylase properties were examined with the mycelium of Tricholoma matsutake isolated from ectomycorrhizal roots of Pinus densiflora. The molecular weights of $\alpha$-amylase and glucoamylase were estimated as 34.2 kD and 11.5 kD, respectively, after eluted through Superdex 75 column. The optimum pH of the purified enzyme was found in a range of pH $5.0{\sim}6.0$, with a peak at pH 5.0. The activities of these enzymes were stable from $4^{\circ}C\;to\;30^{\circ}C$. The $\alpha$-amylase of T. matsutake readily hydrolyzed soluble starch and amylose-B, while it weakly hydrolyzed glycogen, dextrin, amylose and amylose-A. The main products of hydrolysis were confirmed to be glucose, maltose and maltotriose on the basis of the similarities in the thin layer chromatographic mobility.