The effects of light and tyrosinase during sclerotium development in Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.

Some effects of light on morphogenesis in Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. were studied. Physiological competence to visible light developed during the first 120 h after inoculation, with an optimum sensitivity phase between 84 and 96 h that coincided with the leading hyphae reaching the edge of the Petri dish. Although sclerotial initials were produced in dark-grown cultures, light was necessary for the continuation of the developmental and maturation phases of sclerotial morphogenesis. Tyrosinase activity (o-diphenol: oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.10.3.1) was detected during sclerotial formation and the pH and temperature optima for his polyphenol oxidase in vitro were about 6.0 and 45 degrees C respectively. The enzyme was inhibited by cysteine. Similar activity levels of tyrosinase were obtained in blue and "white" light-grown cultures but in red light activity was comparable with that of dark-grown cultures. Laccase activity was not detected at any stage of development.