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Integrated Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses Reveal Molecular Mechanism of Response to Heat Shock in Morchella sextelata

Summary

Morels are delicious mushrooms that are difficult to grow because they are very sensitive to high temperatures. Scientists compared two different morel strains to understand why one variety can tolerate heat better than the other. By studying the genes and proteins expressed at normal and high temperatures, researchers discovered that the heat-tolerant strain activates specific protective mechanisms, particularly through a protein called Rsp5 that helps boost other protective proteins. This research provides valuable information for breeding morel varieties that can survive warmer growing conditions in the age of climate change.

Background

Morels are rare cultivable macroascomycetes with significant economic value, but morel cultivation is highly sensitive to elevated temperatures. The molecular mechanisms of heat shock response in morels remain poorly understood, particularly at the integrated transcriptomic and proteomic level.

Objective

To investigate the molecular regulatory mechanisms and networks of heat shock response in two Morchella sextelata strains with different thermotolerance using integrated transcriptomic and quantitative proteomic analyses under normal (18°C) and high temperature (28°C) conditions.

Results

Both strains activated cell wall integrity pathways, heat shock proteins, and antioxidant systems in response to heat shock. Strain D exhibited stronger thermotolerance by specifically upregulating the ubiquitin ligase Rsp5, which promoted further expression of heat shock proteins. A heat shock adaptation regulatory network was identified showing temporal patterns of gene expression across three developmental stages.

Conclusion

The study reveals that Rsp5-mediated heat shock protein upregulation is a key differentiating factor in thermotolerance between M. sextelata strains. These findings provide novel insights into macroascomycete heat stress responses and valuable resources for breeding thermotolerant morel strains.
  • Published in:Journal of Fungi (Basel),
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMC11766532; PMID: 39852496; doi: 10.3390/jof11010076
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