Bioluminescence Expression During the Transition from Mycelium to Mushroom in Three North American Armillaria and Desarmillaria Species

This research explores how certain mushroom species can produce their own light (bioluminescence) and how this ability changes as they develop from thread-like growth (mycelium) to mature mushrooms. The study found that these fungi gradually lose their ability to glow as they mature, but this can be temporarily reversed by adding specific compounds. Impacts on everyday life: • Helps understand natural light production in organisms, which could inspire development of bio-based lighting solutions • Provides insights into fungal development and metabolism that could be useful for mushroom cultivation • Advances our knowledge of natural biological processes that could lead to biotechnology applications • Contributes to understanding forest ecology where these fungi play important roles • Could lead to new methods for detecting and monitoring wood-decay fungi in forestry