MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Cloning and Expression Analysis of Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase Gene in the Mycelium and Fruit Body of the Edible Mushroom Flammulina velutipes

Summary

Scientists cloned and studied a gene called PAL in the winter mushroom (Flammulina velutipes), which produces trans-cinnamic acid from phenylalanine. They found that this gene is activated differently depending on the nutrient environment and mushroom developmental stage. The gene is particularly active in the mushroom’s stem during growth, suggesting it helps produce beneficial compounds during mushroom development.

Background

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) is an enzyme known to be expressed in plants and involved in differentiation, growth, and secondary metabolite synthesis. However, its expression and function in fungi remains largely unexplored. This study investigates PAL gene expression in Flammulina velutipes, an economically important edible mushroom.

Objective

To clone and characterize the PAL gene (Fvpal) from Flammulina velutipes and analyze its expression patterns in mycelium and fruit body at different developmental stages. The study aims to understand the role of PAL in mushroom growth and development.

Results

The cloned Fvpal gene consists of 2,175 bp encoding 724 amino acids with 11 introns. Fvpal expression in mycelium was highest with L-tyrosine supplementation. During fruit body development, Fvpal expression was highest at mycelium stage, decreased during early fruiting, then increased again during mushroom elongation. Expression was higher in the stipe than in the pileus during fruit body maturation.

Conclusion

PAL gene expression is associated with mushroom growth and development in F. velutipes, particularly during fruit body elongation. The finding that L-tyrosine maximally induces PAL expression is novel in fungi. These results suggest PAL may play a role in phenolic compound production during mushroom development.
  • Published in:Mycobiology,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: PMID: 26539050, DOI: 10.5941/MYCO.2015.43.3.327
Scroll to Top