CHARACTERIZATION OF A PEROXIDASE FROM SPHAGNUM-MAGELLANICUM

The peroxidase from Sphagnum magellanicum is strongly inhibited by CN- and N3- and is rather heat stable. The pH optimum is 5.0. The peroxidase rapidly degrades the common hydroxycinnamic acids and sphagnum acid to non-phenolic products; t-cinnamic acid itself is not attacked. The significance of these reactions is discussed with respect to earlier investigations on the level of cinnamic acids in Sphagnum magellanicum. The peroxidase consists of five acidic and five basic isoenzymes. This band pattern does not change during the colouring of the moss, so that the peroxidase from the green and the red moss is identical. © 1979.