Researchers studied how light triggers the formation of mushroom fruiting bodies in Sparassis latifolia using advanced molecular techniques. They identified 30 key genes that become more or less active during this light-induced transformation, particularly those involved in vitamin and amino acid metabolism. The genes identified are associated with pathways that help convert simple fungal threads into the complex mushroom structures we eat. These findings could help improve mushroom cultivation methods and deepen our understanding of how mushrooms develop.