Insights into the Mycosphere Fungal Community and Its Association with Nucleoside Accumulation in Ophiocordyceps sinensis

Summary

Chinese cordyceps (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) is a precious medicinal fungus found on the Tibetan Plateau that has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties. Researchers studied the fungi living in soil around wild cordyceps and found that the types and amounts of these soil fungi are connected to how much medicinal compounds accumulate in the cordyceps. Samples from certain regions like Yushu had more diverse soil fungi and higher levels of beneficial compounds called nucleosides. This suggests that managing soil fungi could help improve the quality of cordyceps grown in cultivation.

Background

Ophiocordyceps sinensis is a valuable medicinal fungus endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, but wild populations are threatened by overharvesting. Soil microbiomes are critical environmental factors influencing the occurrence and quality of this fungus, yet few studies have explored the relationship between mycosphere fungal communities and nucleoside accumulation.

Objective

This research aimed to systematically analyze the structural characteristics and diversity of fungal communities in mycosphere soils of O. sinensis from eight geographical regions using high-throughput sequencing and compare nucleoside contents in corresponding O. sinensis samples.

Results

Ascomycota dominated all mycosphere soils (96.30-99.88%), with Ophiocordyceps being the core taxon. Samples from Yushu and Guoluo showed higher fungal diversity and nucleoside content. Correlation analysis revealed that fungi including Naganishia, Acicuseptoria, Nectria, Serendipita, and Humicola showed significant positive associations with nucleoside accumulation.

Conclusion

The composition of mycosphere fungal communities is closely associated with nucleoside accumulation in O. sinensis, suggesting that specific fungal taxa may influence quality through metabolic interactions. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for improving artificial cultivation strategies through ecological manipulation of soil fungal communities.
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