Gas-chromatographic Separation of Organic Acids and Electrophoretic Determination of Phosphatases from VA Mycorrhizal Roots

A report is given on methods for separation and identification of organic acids, including phenolic acids, and on the determination of phosphatases from VA mycorrhizal (VAM) roots. For gas-chromatographic preparation of the samples containing the organic acids silylation and methylation were tested, as well as various solvents and silylating reagents. Columns of different polarity were examined for their separation properties. Gas- chromatographic separation of the acids was incomplete on the packed column OV 7. With the capillary column PVMS 54 separation was much better, but improvements are still needed. Mycorrhiza-specific phosphatases (MSP) appearing as three bands were found by electrophoresis with porosity-gradient gels in mycorrhizal roots of Allium, Sorghum and Eupatorium plants. In these three species each MSP was located at the same position. Inoculated onion roots enzymatically digested with cellulase and pectinase showed no root-specific phosphatases, but still revealed MSP. Further improvements in electrophoresis techniques are being investigated.