Morchella sextelata, a highly sought-after edible mushroom worldwide, is evaluated based on its cap color as an essential commercial property indicator. In the present study, the effects of blue light on cap pigmentation in M. sextelata, as well as the synthesis and structural characteristics of melanin pigments within the cap were examined. The results showed that an increase in the proportion of blue light within the lighting environment promoted melanin synthesis and melanization of the cap. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy revealed the localization of melanin within the mycelium and its ultrastructural characteristics. The UV–visible analysis demonstrated that melanin exhibited a maximum absorption peak at 220 nm and possessed high alkaline solubility as well as acid precipitability. The structural characteristics of melanin were analyzed using FTIR, NMR, HPLC, and elemental analysis, which confirmed the presence of eumelanin, pheomelanin, and allomelanin in both brown and black caps. Furthermore, blue light can stimulate the synthesis of both eumelanin and pheomelanin. The obtained results can serve as the foundation for comprehending the mechanism by which light regulates color formation in mushrooms.

Morchella sextelata is a highly prized edible mushroom and is widely consumed for its distinctive taste and texture. The stipe of M. sextelata is significantly lower in priced compared to the pileus. The aim of this study was to conduct a comprehensive comparative analysis of the nutritional and biological properties between the pileus and stipe of M. sextelata. The results revealed that the stipe exhibited comparable levels of various nutrients and bioactive compounds to those found in the pileus. The stipe showed significantly higher levels of crude dietary fiber, various mineral elements, vitamins, amino acids, 5′-nucleotides, fatty acids, and specific sugars. Additionally, it also demonstrated significant abundance in bioactive compounds such as total flavonoids and ergothioneine. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into unlocking further knowledge about M. sextelata’s nutritional composition while highlighting its potential health benefits associated with different parts of this highly esteemed edible mushroom.

Spawn aging poses a substantial challenge to the Agaricus bisporus industry. This study focuses on the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the aging process of A. bisporus spawn. We conducted a comprehensive comparative transcriptome analysis to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying A. bisporus spawn aging. A total of 1620 genes with significant expression changes between the normal and aged spawn were identified, including 917 up-regulated genes and 703 down-regulated genes. Our results revealed a notable down-regulation of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, mitochondrial energy metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, repair mechanisms for oxidative stress-induced damage, fatty acid β-oxidation, and amino acid degradation in aged A. bisporus spawn. Additionally, we observed a decreased expression of genes involved in critical signal transduction pathways associated with mitochondrial function in aged mycelium as well as genes responsible for maintaining mitochondrial stability. The up-regulated genes in aged spawn mainly affect mitochondrial fission and programmed cell death, impacting mitochondrial function. Overall, the present study first provides evidence for the pivotal role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the aging process of A. bisporus spawn and contributes to the development of targeted strategies to enhance mitochondrial function, mitigate spawn aging, and improve the yield and quality of A. bisporus cultivation.

Sparassis latifolia thrives in natural Pinus koraiensis (Korean Pine) forests, but its artificial cultivation remains inefficient due to poor substrate utilization. Its nutritional strategy, long presumed to be saprotrophic, is poorly defined, impeding domestication efforts. We integrated taxonomic identification, pathogenicity assays, computerized tomography scanning, laser scanning microscope, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) visualization of root colonization, and carbon utilization profiling to elucidate S. latifolia’s trophic mode. By analysis the morphological characteristics of the basidiocarps and the isolations from infected roots, and in combination with molecular data, identified as S. latifolia. This fungus was demonstrated pathogenic on P. koraiensis seedlings, causing root rot with intracellular colonization of sieve cells. Mycelial growth was quantified in minimal media supplemented with host-derived compounds. S. latifolia showed striking carbon source specificity, growing significantly only on glucose or monolignol glucoside coniferin. Coniferin drove faster radial expansion and higher biomass yield than glucose. This specificity correlates with high coniferin levels in fresh P. koraiensis lateral roots, markedly reduced in dried substrates. Our findings provide strong evidence supporting S. latifolia as a facultative parasite of P. koraiensis, reliant on host-derived coniferin as a premium carbon source. This coniferin-centric strategy underpins its efficient colonization in living roots and may partially explains long cultivation cycle in coniferin-decreased artificial substrates. Our findings resolve its nutritional ecology and expose the critical bottleneck for domestication.