Total peroxidase and catalase activity of luminous basidiomycetes Armillaria borealis and Neonothopanus nambi in comparison with the level of light emission

Abstract

The peroxidase and catalase activities in the mycelium of luminous basidiomycetes Armillaria borealis and Neonothopanus nambi in normal conditions and under stress were compared. An increase in the luminescence level was observed under stress, as well as an increase in peroxidase and catalase activities. Moreover, the peroxidase activity in extracts of A. borealis mycelium was found to be almost one and a half orders of magnitude lower, and the catalase activity more than two orders of magnitude higher in comparison with the N. nambi mycelium. It can be suggested that the difference between the brightly luminescent and dimly luminescent mycelium of N. nambi is due to the content of H 2 O 2 or other peroxide compounds.

Two forms of substrate for the bioluminescent reaction in three species of basidiomycetes

“…In addition, the transformation of the substrate can take place through biochemical reactions. This can explain the sharp increase in luminescence of fungal mycelia when exposed to external stimuli, for example mechanical damage (Mogilnaya et al 2015;Puzyr et al 2016). The existence of another substance capable of bioluminescence other than hispidin, which is activated at high temperatures, should also not be excluded.…”