Fungal Species:  Coprinopsis cinerea

Enhancing the Substrate Adaptability of Laccase through Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction for Applications in Mycotoxin Detoxification

Researchers used evolutionary analysis to redesign a fungal enzyme called laccase to better detoxify harmful mold toxins found in grains. The new engineered enzyme (LacANC278) can break down both aflatoxin and zearalenone toxins much more effectively than the original enzyme, and converts them into less harmful substances. This enzyme works without expensive helper chemicals and works well at room temperature, making it practical for treating contaminated corn and other grains.

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Benzothiazole—An Antifungal Compound Derived from Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum against Mango Anthracnose Pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

Scientists discovered that a chemical called benzothiazole found in the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum can effectively kill the fungus that causes mango anthracnose, a major disease affecting mango crops. The research showed that this natural compound completely stops fungal growth at very low concentrations (50 ppm) and prevents spore germination. This discovery offers a promising eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fungicides that can cause environmental pollution and drug resistance.

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Edible mushrooms as emerging biofactories for natural therapeutics and oral biopharmaceutical delivery

Mushrooms are emerging as natural medicine factories that can be genetically engineered to produce medications taken by mouth. Beyond their traditional use as health foods, scientists are now using advanced genetic techniques to program mushrooms to manufacture therapeutic proteins and vaccines. These engineered mushrooms can naturally package and protect these medications as they pass through the stomach, releasing them safely in the intestines for absorption. This approach offers a sustainable, affordable, and cold-chain-independent alternative to conventional injected medications.

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Fungal graviresponses: Physiological and molecular insights from tissue reorientation in the gravity vector

Fungi can sense gravity and grow in specific directions to help disperse their spores effectively. They use several different biological ‘sensors’ like protein crystals and fat droplets that shift with gravity, triggering growth changes. This review explains how these sensing systems work at the cellular and molecular levels, and why understanding them matters for growing mushrooms and studying biology in space.

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Recent developments of tools for genome and metabolome studies in basidiomycete fungi and their application to natural product research

Mushrooms and related fungi in the basidiomycete group produce many useful medicines and agricultural chemicals. Scientists have traditionally struggled to study these fungi because they grow slowly and have complex genomes. Recent technological breakthroughs—including faster DNA sequencing and gene-editing tools—are now making it much easier to discover and understand the helpful compounds these fungi produce, potentially leading to new medicines.

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Proteins from Edible Mushrooms: Nutritional Role and Contribution to Well-Being

Mushrooms are nutritional powerhouses containing as much high-quality protein as meat and soybeans, with complete amino acid profiles needed for human health. Beyond basic nutrition, mushroom proteins possess remarkable healing properties including anti-cancer, immune-boosting, and blood pressure-lowering effects. These sustainable proteins are increasingly used in food fortification, sports supplements, and therapeutic medicines. Growing mushrooms as mycelium or using novel cultivation methods makes protein production faster, more efficient, and environmentally friendly.

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Valorization of Mushroom Residues for Functional Food Packaging

Mushrooms produce large amounts of waste during growth and processing, but these leftovers contain valuable compounds that can protect food and extend shelf life. Scientists are developing ways to extract these beneficial compounds and add them to eco-friendly packaging films, creating materials that fight bacteria and oxidation naturally. This approach transforms mushroom waste into useful products while reducing environmental pollution, making food packaging safer and more sustainable for consumers.

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Insights into the evolution and mechanisms of response to heat stress by whole genome sequencing and comparative proteomics analysis of the domesticated edible mushroom Lepista sordida

Researchers sequenced the complete genome of Lepista sordida, a delicious edible mushroom valued for its health benefits, and studied how this mushroom responds to heat stress at the molecular level. Using advanced analysis techniques, they identified key proteins and signaling pathways that help the mushroom survive high temperatures. These findings can help farmers develop better-performing strains that are more resistant to heat, improving mushroom production.

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Snowball: a novel gene family required for developmental patterning of fruiting bodies of mushroom-forming fungi (Agaricomycetes)

Scientists discovered a new gene called snb1 that is critical for mushroom development. When this gene is removed, mushrooms grow into simple ball-shaped structures without the normal parts like caps and stems. By studying these abnormal mushrooms, researchers identified many other genes involved in proper mushroom formation. This discovery helps explain how mushrooms develop their complex structures from simple fungal networks.

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Isolation and characterization of edible mushroom-forming fungi from Swedish nature

Swedish researchers isolated 17 strains of wild edible mushroom-forming fungi from nature and studied how they grow at different temperatures and develop fruiting bodies. They found that commercially cultivated mushroom species grow faster and prefer warmer temperatures than wild species. Several strains successfully produced mushrooms on different growing substrates, particularly on birch pellets, with some performing better than established laboratory strains. All newly isolated strains have been preserved in a research collection for future studies and potential commercial mushroom production.

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