A comparative study was carried out on the chemical composition and nutritional value of six cultivated Lentinula edodes strains that are widely appreciated in China. The results demonstrated that all investigated L. edodes were good sources of protein (14.87%-27.13%), carbohydrates (62.03%-75.56%), and dietary fiber (35.88%-42.49%) and had low ash (5.24%-6.38%) and low fat (0.80%-1.70%) content. There were significant differences among different cultivars. Shenxiang 215 had high crude protein and dietary fiber contents. Potassium was the most abundant mineral element, followed by phosphorus. Different cultivars exhibited distinct fatty acid compositions and free amino acid profiles. Shenxiang 215 had high essential amino acid content. Polyunsaturated fatty acids were predominant in cultivars 0912, Huxiang F4, and Huxiang F2; however, monounsaturated fatty acids were predominant in other strains. Cultivar 0912 had a better mineral and polyunsaturated fatty acid profile. The amino acid profile and protein quality were systematically investigated referring to the latest version of international amino acid reference patterns, including the amino acid score, ratio coefficient of amino acid, ratio coefficient score of amino acid, essential amino acid index, and protein digestibility − corrected amino acid score. The results demonstrated that Shenxiang 18 had better protein quality. These findings provide a reference for breeders to select parents for directional quality breeding.

The polysaccharide is the main active substance contained in Hericium erinaceus and is commonly used in the treatment of neurasthenia, tumors, and digestive diseases. Six intracellular polysaccharide components were obtained from H. erinaceus fruiting bodies cultivated by ARTP (atmospheric and room temperature plasma) mutagenic strain (321) and the original strain (0605), respectively. This study was designed to investigate the physicochemical characteristics of these polysaccharide components and their potential immunomodulatory activities on RAW264.7 macrophages. The results showed that the yield of fruiting body cultivated by mutated strain increased by 22% and the polysaccharide content improved by 16% compared with the original one owing to ARTP mutagenesis. The molecular weight distribution and the monosaccharide compositions of polysaccharide components from H. erinaceus induced by ARTP mutagenesis were significantly different from that of the original one. The NO, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α production activities of macrophages were enhanced by stimulation of 20% ethanol precipitated polysaccharides from H. erinaceus induced by ARTP mutagenesis. These results indicated that ARTP is an efficient and practical method for high polysaccharide content breeding of the H. erinaceus strain and this provided a reference for obtaining high quality resources and healthy product development from H. erinaceus.

In this study, water-soluble and alkali-soluble cell wall polysaccharides were obtained from fruiting body extracted residual micropowders of Hericium erinaceus, harvested at seven different growing stages. The structural properties and in vitro immunity activities of cell wall polysaccharides extracted successively by hot water and sodium hydroxide solution were studied, and the results indicated that the yield and content of polysaccharides increased during the reproductive growth stage and decreased with the maturity of the fruiting body. Water-soluble cell wall polysaccharides mainly composed of glucose and galactose at a molar ratio of 3.4–14:1.0, and also contained a small ratio of glucuronic acid. The alkali-soluble cell wall polysaccharides were glucans with lower molecular weight and higher macrophage activation activity in vitro than water-soluble ones. Our findings suggest that the growth stages (H4 and H5) are suitable for harvesting H. erinaceus fruiting bodies with higher cell wall polysaccharide yield and functional benefits.

Grifola frondosa is a commercially important edible mushroom, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying fruiting body development in this species remain poorly understood. In this study, five sample types were collected from the same cultivation bag bearing mature fruiting bodies to represent different stages of a developmental continuum: spawn (S), white mycelial film (WM), gray mycelial mat (GM), fruiting body base (B), and pileus (P). Transcriptomic, biochemical, and morphological analyses were integrated to investigate the tissue-specific characteristics and potential roles of these tissues during fruiting body formation. The results revealed that S exhibited enhanced cellulase expression and activity, consistent with its proposed role in carbon supply for the developing fruiting body. WM showed upregulation of genes involved in H₂O₂ production and ATP synthesis, together with hydrophobin-related genes, consistent with active energy metabolism and a possible role in surface protection in this light-exposed layer. GM displayed distinct morphological features, including thicker hyphae with rounded tips and elevated expression of lectin, transcription-related, and signal transduction genes, consistent with its possible role as the site of primordium initiation. Both B and P specifically upregulated meiosis-related genes, suggesting their involvement in spore production. Collectively, these findings provide a comprehensive molecular resource for understanding tissue-specific genetic programs governing fruiting body formation in G. frondosa, while also highlighting candidate genes and testable hypotheses for future functional validation.