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De Novo Assembly of Auricularia polytricha Transcriptome Using Illumina Sequencing for Gene Discovery and SSR Marker Identification

Summary

This research analyzed the genetic differences between two growth stages of the edible black-brown mushroom Auricularia polytricha using advanced DNA sequencing technology. The study revealed important genes involved in mushroom development and color formation, providing a foundation for improving mushroom cultivation and breeding. Impacts on everyday life: – Helps improve cultivation methods for this nutritious and medicinally valuable mushroom – Enables development of better mushroom varieties through selective breeding – Contributes to understanding how mushrooms develop their distinctive colors and shapes – Could lead to more efficient production of this popular food ingredient – May help reduce costs and improve availability of this mushroom in markets

Background

Auricularia polytricha is an edible black-brown mushroom with a gelatinous fruiting body that is highly valued in Asia for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Despite its importance, insufficient genomic information has limited understanding of its molecular mechanisms, particularly regarding fruiting body formation and development.

Objective

To use Illumina Solexa sequencing technology to generate and analyze transcript sequences from the mycelium and mature fruiting body of A. polytricha for gene discovery and molecular marker development. The study aimed to provide valuable sequence resources and molecular markers to facilitate functional genomics studies and genetic research on this fungus.

Results

De novo assembly generated 36,483 ESTs with an N50 length of 636 bp. 28,108 ESTs showed significant hits with known proteins, with 94.03% showing greatest similarity to A. delicata. 2,057 ESTs were differentially expressed between mycelium and fruiting body stages. ESTs associated with protein biosynthesis, metabolism and assembly were more active in fruiting body development. A tyrosinase-encoding EST was significantly upregulated in the fruiting body, indicating melanin accumulation during black-brown color formation. 1,715 potential SSRs were identified in the transcriptome.

Conclusion

This study provides the first comprehensive transcriptome analysis comparing mycelium and fruiting body stages of A. polytricha. The identified differentially expressed genes, particularly those involved in melanin biosynthesis and fruiting body development, along with the SSR markers discovered will be valuable resources for future research on A. polytricha genetics and development.
  • Published in:PLOS One,
  • Study Type:Transcriptome Analysis,
  • Source: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091740
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