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Changes in the Mycovirus (LeV) Titer and Viral Effect on the Vegetative Growth of the Edible Mushroom Lentinula edodes

Summary

This research examined how a virus affects the growth of shiitake mushrooms, a popular edible mushroom species. Scientists found that removing the virus from the mushroom resulted in better growth, showing that the virus normally inhibits mushroom development. The amount of virus present varied depending on how the mushrooms were grown. Impacts on everyday life: • Better understanding of virus effects could lead to improved mushroom cultivation techniques • May help increase production efficiency of commercial mushroom farms • Could lead to development of better growing methods for shiitake mushrooms • Potential for higher quality mushrooms for consumers • May contribute to more sustainable mushroom farming practices

Background

Mycoviruses can affect the growth and development of fungi, including edible mushrooms. Understanding their effects on commercially important species like Lentinula edodes is crucial for mushroom cultivation.

Objective

To cure the edible mushroom Lentinula edodes strain FMRI0339 of the L. edodes mycovirus (LeV) and obtain isogenic virus-free and virus-infected strains for comparison of growth characteristics.

Results

The mycelial fragmentation method successfully produced virus-free colonies that remained virus-free for two years. Viral titer varied significantly with culture conditions, showing 20-fold higher concentration in plate culture compared to liquid culture. Oxygen-depleted conditions decreased viral concentration but not as much as submerged liquid culture. Virus-cured strains demonstrated significantly higher growth rates and mycelial mass than infected strains.

Conclusion

LeV infection has a detrimental effect on the mycelial growth of L. edodes, with culture conditions significantly affecting viral titer. The successful curing method provides a way to study virus-host interactions in this economically important mushroom species.
  • Published in:Virus Research,
  • Study Type:Laboratory Research,
  • Source: 10.1016/j.virusres.2014.11.016
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