Enhanced Production of Polysaccharides and Triterpenoids in Ganoderma lucidum Fruit Bodies on Induction with Signal Transduction During the Fruiting Stage

Author: mycolabadmin
2018-04-25
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Summary

This research demonstrates a new method to enhance the medicinal compounds in Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) mushrooms by treating them with specific chemicals during growth. This could lead to more potent medicinal mushroom products with greater health benefits. Impacts on everyday life: – More effective natural supplements for immune system support – Stronger medicinal mushroom products for health maintenance – Better value for consumers buying Reishi products – More efficient production of medicinal compounds – Potential for new therapeutic applications

Background

Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal mushroom widely used in East Asia for treating various diseases. Its pharmacological activity comes primarily from polysaccharides and triterpenoids. However, the content of these active compounds in fruiting bodies is typically very low (around 0.5% for polysaccharides and 1.0% for triterpenoids), which limits its therapeutic efficiency.

Objective

To improve the content of polysaccharides and triterpenoids in G. lucidum fruit bodies during artificial cultivation using signal transduction induction with salicylic acid (SA) and calcium ion (Ca2+) as inducers. The study also aimed to explore the underlying mechanisms by examining the transcripts of genes encoding key enzymes in the polysaccharide and triterpenoid biosynthetic pathways.

Results

Ca2+ alone had no effect on production of polysaccharides and triterpenoids. SA alone increased triterpenoid content by 23.32% but had little effect on polysaccharides. Combined SA and Ca2+ treatment increased both polysaccharide and triterpenoid content by 9.02% and 13.61% respectively. Gene expression analysis showed upregulation of key biosynthetic genes under SA and combined treatment, particularly in the primordium and fruit body stages.

Conclusion

The combined use of SA and Ca2+ induction can significantly improve content of polysaccharides and triterpenoids in G. lucidum fruiting bodies. This newly developed method holds great promise for industrial production of polysaccharide and triterpenoid-rich fruiting bodies with enhanced therapeutic potential.

Published in:PLOS One,
Study Type:Experimental Research,
Source: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196287