PROTEASE ACTIVITY IN AGARICUS-BISPORUS DURING PERIODIC FRUITING (FLUSHING) AND SPOROPHORE DEVELOPMENT

Protease activity from sporophores and mycelium of the mushroom Agaricus bisporus was assayed during periodic cropping (flushing) and from sporophores during maturation. When the sporophores were harvested at the same developmental stages (pins or buttons) during cropping, proteolytic activity of the sporophores was found to oscillate with the same periodicity as the flushing cycle. For pin mushrooms (an early stage of development), peaks of activity occurred during the interflush periods, whereas for button mushrooms (a later stage of development) peak proteolytic activity coincided with the periods of maximum production. The proteolytic activity in the mycelium remained low and varied little with time. Of the tissues within the sporophore, gill tissue had a higher activity than the stipe or pileus. The changes in activity during sporophore development or maturation depended on the period in the flushing cycle when the sporophore was initiated. The results are discussed in relation to the possible role and regulation of flush co-ordinated proteases.