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Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the role of sugar signaling in response to high temperature stress in Armillaria gallica

Summary

Scientists studied how a fungus called Armillaria gallica responds to high heat, which is important because this fungus forms a partnership with a valuable medicinal plant called Gastrodia elata. They compared a heat-tolerant fungal strain with a heat-sensitive one and found that the heat-tolerant strain increases sugar accumulation and activates specific genes that help it survive hot conditions. Adding sucrose to the fungus’s growth medium helped it tolerate heat better, suggesting that sugar plays a key role in heat stress protection.

Background

Armillaria gallica forms a symbiotic relationship with Gastrodia elata, a valuable Chinese herbal plant. High temperature stress seriously affects the growth of both organisms, but the molecular mechanisms and gene networks involved in A. gallica’s response to heat stress remain poorly understood.

Objective

To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the response of A. gallica to high temperature stress by conducting comparative transcriptome analysis of heat-tolerant (GZ1) and heat-sensitive (SX8) strains under normal and high temperature conditions.

Results

Analysis identified 2,056 differentially expressed genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum. Heat shock proteins (HSP20 and HSP90) were upregulated in both strains, while glycolysis genes were upregulated in the heat-tolerant GZ1 strain. GZ1 showed increased accumulation of soluble sugars and polysaccharides under heat stress, and exogenous sucrose enhanced heat resistance.

Conclusion

Sugar signaling, particularly in carbohydrate metabolism pathways, plays a critical role in A. gallica’s response to high temperature stress. Both conserved heat shock protein responses and species-specific metabolic changes contribute to rhizomorph development and adaptation to heat stress.
  • Published in:BMC Microbiology,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: 10.1186/s12866-025-03907-7, PMID: 40287614
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