This research identified a key enzyme responsible for producing the characteristic mushroom smell compound (1-octen-3-ol) in fungi. This discovery helps us understand how mushrooms create their distinctive aromas and how they communicate with other organisms in their environment. Impacts on everyday life: – Helps explain why mushrooms have their characteristic smell – Provides insights into developing better mushroom flavors for food products – Advances understanding of how insects and other organisms locate mushrooms – Could lead to new ways to control mushroom pests in cultivation – May enable biotechnology applications for producing natural mushroom flavors