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

Summary

Morels are delicious edible mushrooms, but growing them is challenging when temperatures get too high. Scientists studied two morel strains to understand how they respond to heat stress by examining their genes and proteins. They found that heat-tolerant strains activate special protective proteins and metabolic pathways, with one strain particularly good at activating a protein called Rsp5 that helps other protective proteins work better. These findings could help farmers grow better morels even as climate change makes temperatures warmer.

Background

Morels are rare cultivable macroascomycetes with significant economic value, but cultivation is highly sensitive to elevated temperatures. The molecular mechanisms underlying heat shock response in morels remain poorly understood. This study investigates the thermotolerance response mechanisms in Morchella sextelata using integrated multi-omics approaches.

Objective

To elucidate the molecular regulatory mechanisms and networks of heat shock response in M. sextelata by conducting integrated transcriptomic and quantitative proteomic analyses of two strains with different thermotolerance levels under normal and high temperature conditions.

Results

Both strains showed consistent heat shock responses including upregulation of cell wall integrity pathways, heat shock proteins, and antioxidant systems. Strain D exhibited stronger thermotolerance and specifically upregulated the ubiquitin ligase Rsp5, which further promoted HSP expression. A comprehensive heat shock adaptation regulatory network was proposed, revealing strain-specific differences in thermotolerance mechanisms.

Conclusion

The study provides novel insights into thermotolerance response mechanisms in macroascomycetes and identifies key molecular factors contributing to heat tolerance differences. The findings offer valuable resources for breeding thermotolerant morel strains and advancing understanding of fungal stress biology adaptation.
  • Published in:Journal of Fungi,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: 10.3390/jof11010076; PMC11766532; PMID: 39852496
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