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Copyright of Mycosystema is the property of Mycosystema Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Edible mushrooms are not only a valued culinary ingredient but also have several potential medicinal and industrial applications. They are a rich source of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides and terpenoids, and thus have the capacity to support human health. Some species have been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and immunomodulatory properties. We have therefore attempted to summarize the potential properties of the edible mushrooms popular in Poland, in the Roztocze area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Fungi have been used for medicinal purposes for many centuries. This study, based on 35 historical written sources and 581 in-depth semi-structured interviews from eight countries in the western borderlands of the former Soviet Union, investigates the medicinal use of fungi by local communities. We compared the taxa and uses obtained from fieldwork and historical sources with works that advocated fungi use within Soviet herbals, representing the centralised medical system. During fieldwork, we identified eight locally used fungi and one lichen. The highest numbers of medicinal uses were documented in Russia, Estonia and Ukraine. Studies published before the Soviet era listed 21 fungal taxa and one lichen species used in the study region. However, only six of these taxa were mentioned as used by people in our field studies (Amanita muscaria, Boletus edulis, Lycoperdon, Morchella, Phallus impudicus and Cetraria islandica). Notably, these same six taxa were consistently endorsed in Soviet herbals. Of the remaining three taxa recorded in the fieldwork, none were mentioned in historical written sources. However, they were promoted either in Soviet herbals (Inonotus obliquus, Kombucha) or later popular publications (Cantharellus cibarius). This highlights the significant influence of written sources on the use of fungi for medicinal purposes within the studied local communities.

Abstract Cyathus olla, belonging to the genus Cyathus within the order Agaricales, is renowned for its bird's nest-like fruiting bodies and has been utilized in folk medicine. However, its genome remains poorly understood. To investigate genomic diversity within the genus Cyathus and elucidate biosynthetic pathways for medicinal compounds, we generated a high-quality genome assembly of C. olla with fourteen chromosomes. The comparative genome analysis revealed variations in both genomes and specific functional genes within the genus Cyathus. Phylogenomic and gene family variation analyses provided insights into evolutionary divergence, as well as genome expansion and contraction in individual Cyathus species and 36 typical Basidiomycota. Furthermore, analysis of LTR-RT and Ka/Ks revealed apparent whole-genome duplication (WGD) events its genome. Through genome mining and metabolite profiling, we identified the biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) for cyathane diterpenes from C. olla. Furthermore, we predicted 32 BGCs, containing 41 core genes, involved in other bioactive metabolites. These findings represent a valuable genomic resource that will enhance our understanding of Cyathus species genetic diversity. The genome analysis of C. olla provides insights into the biosynthesis of medicinal compounds and establishes a fundamental basis for future investigations into the genetic basis of chemodiversity in this significant medicinal fungus.

Fungi have been used for medicinal purposes for many centuries. This study, based on 35 historical written sources and 581 in-depth semi-structured interviews from eight countries in the western borderlands of the former Soviet Union, investigates the medicinal use of fungi by local communities. We compared the taxa and uses obtained from fieldwork and historical sources with works that advocated fungi use within Soviet herbals, representing the centralised medical system. During fieldwork, we identified eight locally used fungi and one lichen. The highest numbers of medicinal uses were documented in Russia, Estonia and Ukraine. Studies published before the Soviet era listed 21 fungal taxa and one lichen species used in the study region. However, only six of these taxa were mentioned as used by people in our field studies (Amanitamuscaria, Boletusedulis, Lycoperdon, Morchella, Phallusimpudicus and Cetrariaislandica). Notably, these same six taxa were consistently endorsed in Soviet herbals. Of the remaining three taxa recorded in the fieldwork, none were mentioned in historical written sources. However, they were promoted either in Soviet herbals (Inonotusobliquus, Kombucha) or later popular publications (Cantharelluscibarius). This highlights the significant influence of written sources on the use of fungi for medicinal purposes within the studied local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyathus olla, belonging to the genus Cyathus within the order Agaricales, is renowned for its bird's nest-like fruiting bodies and has been utilized in folk medicine. However, its genome remains poorly understood. To investigate genomic diversity within the genus Cyathus and elucidate biosynthetic pathways for medicinal compounds, we generated a high-quality genome assembly of C. olla with fourteen chromosomes. The comparative genome analysis revealed variations in both genomes and specific functional genes within the genus Cyathus. Phylogenomic and gene family variation analyses provided insights into evolutionary divergence, as well as genome expansion and contraction in individual Cyathus species and 36 typical Basidiomycota. Furthermore, analysis of LTR-RT and Ka/Ks revealed apparent whole-genome duplication (WGD) events its genome. Through genome mining and metabolite profiling, we identified the biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) for cyathane diterpenes from C. olla. Furthermore, we predicted 32 BGCs, containing 41 core genes, involved in other bioactive metabolites. These findings represent a valuable genomic resource that will enhance our understanding of Cyathus species genetic diversity. The genome analysis of C. olla provides insights into the biosynthesis of medicinal compounds and establishes a fundamental basis for future investigations into the genetic basis of chemodiversity in this significant medicinal fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanguinoderma infundibulare is a newly discovered species of Ganodermataceae known to have high medicinal and ecological values. In this study, the whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomic analyses were conducted to further understand Ganodermataceae's genomic structural and functional characteristics. Using the Illumina NovaSeq and PacBio Sequel platforms, 88 scaffolds were assembled to obtain a 48.99-Mb high-quality genome of S. infundibulare. A total of 14,146 protein-coding genes were annotated in the whole genome, with 98.6% of complete benchmarking universal single-copy orthologs (BUSCO) scores. Comparative genomic analyses were conducted among S. infundibulare , Sanguinoderma rugosum , Ganoderma lucidum , and Ganoderma sinense to determine their intergeneric differences. The 4 species were found to share 4,011 orthogroups, and 24 specific gene families were detected in the genus Sanguinoderma. The gene families associated with carbohydrate esterase in S. infundibulare were significantly abundant, which was reported to be involved in hemicellulose degradation. One specific gene family in Sanguinoderma was annotated with siroheme synthase, which may be related to the typical characteristics of fresh pore surface changing to blood red when bruised. This study enriched the available genome data for the genus Sanguinoderma , elucidated the differences between Ganoderma and Sanguinoderma , and provided insights into the characteristics of the genome structure and function of S. infundibulare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Edulis Fungi is the property of Acta Edulis Fungi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), a global pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can result in severe health complications. In addition to physical preventative measures, pharmaceutical intervention is also crucial. Numerous natural products from medicinal fungi have shown promise as potential antiviral drugs and may serve as a source of effective components with antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses. In this study, we developed a workflow that integrates viral infection inhibition assays at both cellular and molecular levels, as well as molecular separation and characterization, to screen and identify natural products with antiviral activity. Using this workflow, we screened 167 extracts extracted from 36 medicinal fungi using optimized extraction methods. We assessed the antiviral effects of these extracts by measuring their ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection and receptor binding domain - human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (RBD-hACE2) binding in vitro. Following charge- and size-based characterization of the active compounds through filtration and chromatographic fractionation, mass spectrometry characterization of the fractionated compounds revealed that the active components are polysaccharides and determined their monosaccharide residue composition. Our findings provide new insights into the antiviral potential of natural products and their screening strategies and may contribute to the development of effective antiviral therapeutics against COVID-19 and other diseases.

The aim of this study was the evaluation of the basic bioprocess parameters by applying mathematical modelling of the growth kinetics of Ganoderma resinaceum GA1M isolated from Bulgaria as well as assessment of the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the obtained biomass. The models of Monod, Moser, Andrews and Verhulst in combination with the Luedeking-Piret were applied for kinetics modelling of the cultivation process. The in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by applying four different methods. The disk diffusion method and broth microdilution methods were employed to determine the antimicrobial activity of the mycelium biomass extracts. Mathematical modeling of the kinetics of the cultivation process was performed and basic bioprocess parameters were determined. The obtained experimental data were in agreement with the applied mathematical models. The water extract of the mycelium biomass showed the highest antioxidant potential and the highest total phenolic content. The methylene chloride, methanol and ethanol extracts of the biomass demonstrated antimicrobial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mycosystema is the property of Mycosystema Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Mycosystema is the property of Mycosystema Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Mycosystema is the property of Mycosystema Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This document is an editorial published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology. It discusses the topic of ethnopharmacology in North and South America, highlighting the contributions of scientists and health officers from these regions. The editorial emphasizes the importance of studying indigenous plants and their medicinal properties, as well as the need for quality control and consistency in the use of Pan-American medicinal plants. The document also provides summaries of five research papers included in the editorial, covering topics such as the phenolic profile of honeybee pollen, the effects of Maca, the importance of a Latin American database of natural compound structures, the discovery of inhibitors for diabetes drug development, and an overview of botanical dietary supplements and herbal medicines in the Americas. [Extracted from the article]

Fungi are eukaryotic, heterotrophic, unicellular or multicellular organisms that feed by absorption. Some of their attributes stand out in the medicinal and pharmaceutical sector since several genera of fungi have metabolic properties and compounds related to the manufacture of numerous medicines. In this context, the objective of this study was to carry out a scientometric analysis to verify the application and properties of medicinal fungi as well as their contributions to the knowledge of medicinal fungi. A survey of applied literature, which included the word “Medicinal fungi”, was carried out based on the articles indexed in the Thomson Reuters base (www.isiwebofknowledge.com), considering the period from 2003 to 2021. One hundred and thirty-nine scientific articles were used for the scientometric analysis, and these were divided into six time intervals (2003-2006, 2007-2009, 2010-2012, 2013-2015, 2016-2018, 2019-2021). An increase was noted in the scientific production on medicinal fungi from 2007 onwards, mostly presenting publications with an experimental approach. The phylum Basidiomycota, followed by Ascomycota, presented the highest number of records in the study, mainly with applications aimed at antitumor and antibacterial activity. Therefore, the importance of studies that aim to expand the knowledge of the properties of medicinal fungi is highlighted, providing effective results for various diseases, since their cultivation and development can positively generate equitable economic growth, with regional and national impacts.

This study generated two fused protoplasts of Antrodia cinnamomea and Cordyceps militaris in two ways. The protoplasts of A. cinnamomea were inactivated by heat to inactivate biochemical processes and enzymatic activities in the cytoplasm, and the protoplasts of C. militaris were inactivated by UV radiation to invalidate their genome function, then they were fused under optimal conditions to get a fusion rate as (7.42 ± 0.8) × 10-6 fusants/mL; the new fusants were abbreviated as Ac-Cm. On the other hand, when A. cinnamomea and C. militaris were treated with heat and UV oppositely using similar experiments, the fusion rate was (9.70 ± 0.68) × 10-5 fusants/mL, and the new fusants were abbreviated as Cm-Ac. We selected each of two best-growing fused colonies Ac-Cm-1, Ac-Cm-2, Cm-Ac-1, and Cm-Ac-2, together with parental A. cinnamomea and C. militaris, and studied their morphology, growth antagonism tests, and genetic relationships by 18S rRNA sequencing. In comparison with the initial cultures of 4 fusants, the yields of adenosine, biomass, cordycepic acid, cordycepin, total polysaccharide, and total triterpenoids were increased up 1.305−50.1563 times in the optimal medium conditions. For gene stability tests, those of the four fusants and their outputs were stabilized within 10 generations.

Copyright of Acta Edulis Fungi is the property of Acta Edulis Fungi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Clinical Healthcare is the property of Chinese Journal of Clinical Healthcare and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Ophiocordyceps is an important globally distributed genus that includes over 239-recorded species. Many species of the genus are famous for their significance in ecology, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. There have been 12 species of genus Ophiocordyceps found in Vietnam. In this study, the samples of Ophiocordyceps parasitizing the larva of order Lepidoptera at Xuan Son National Park in Phu Tho province were collected and characterized using both morphology and molecular analyses. The morphology comparison and ITS sequence analysis revealed that the fungus belongs to a new species of Ophiocordyceps. The paper presents the morphological and molecular description of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanghuangporus refers to a group of rare medicinal fungi with remarkable therapeutic properties. However, current knowledge on the bioactive ingredients and antioxidant activities of different species of this genus is limited. In this study, a total of 15 wild strains from 8 species of Sanghuangporus were selected as the experimental materials for identification of the bioactive components (polysaccharide, polyphenol, flavonoid, triterpenoid, and ascorbic acid) and antioxidant activities (scavenging activities against hydroxyl, superoxide, DPPH, and ABTS radicals; superoxide dismutase activity; and ferric reducing ability of plasma). Notably, individual strains contained different levels of various indicators, among which Sanghuangporus baumii Cui 3573, S. sanghuang Cui 14419 and Cui 14441, S. vaninii Dai 9061, and S. zonatus Dai 10841 displayed the strongest activities. The correlation analysis of bioactive ingredients and antioxidant activities revealed that the antioxidant capacity of Sanghuangporus is mainly associated with the contents of flavonoid and ascorbic acid, followed by polyphenol and triterpenoid, and finally, polysaccharide. Together, the results obtained from the comprehensive and systematic comparative analyses contribute further potential resources and critical guidance for the separation, purification, and further development and utilization of bioactive agents from wild Sanghuangporus species, as well as the optimization of their artificial cultivation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased demand for natural, safe and dietary antioxidant sources stimulated the exploration of in-vitro reducing and scavenging potentials of extracts from wild medicinal and non-toxic mushrooms with intention of acknowledging their therapeutic values. Based on the findings about enhanced potency of extracts vs. powder, as well as highlighting the antioxidant potential of underexploited wild species from Macedonian territory, our investigations were aimed at screening the reducing and scavenging profiles of hot water (HWEs), cold water (CWEs) and methanol extracts (MEs) from Phellinus torulosus and P. igniarius to promote their usage as nutraceuticals and for medicinal use. MEs from both species exhibited superior scavenging activity over radicals: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and nitric oxide (NO); enhanced reducing properties and higher total antioxidant capacity, owed to their significantly higher phenol and flavonoid content. In contrast, CWEs established superior ability for inhibiting the lipid peroxides level and glycosylated protein adducts but exposed lower antioxidant properties and reducing abilities. HWE from P. torulosus was a more efficient radical scavenger than P. igniarius, with higher reducing and in-vitro antiglycation capacities, thereby proving its suitability for the treatment against disorders induced by oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi are eukaryotic, heterotrophic, unicellular or multicellular organisms that feed by absorption. Some of their attributes stand out in the medicinal and pharmaceutical sector since several genera of fungi have metabolic properties and compounds related to the manufacture of numerous medicines. In this context, the objective of this study was to carry out a scientometric analysis to verify the application and properties of medicinal fungi as well as their contributions to the knowledge of medicinal fungi. A survey of applied literature, which included the word "Medicinal fungi", was carried out based on the articles indexed in the Thomson Reuters base (www.isiwebofknowledge.com), considering the period from 2003 to 2021. One hundred and thirty-nine scientific articles were used for the scientometric analysis, and these were divided into six time intervals (2003-2006, 2007-2009, 2010-2012, 2013-2015, 2016-2018, 2019-2021). An increase was noted in the scientific production on medicinal fungi from 2007 onwards, mostly presenting publications with an experimental approach. The phylum Basidiomycota, followed by Ascomycota, presented the highest number of records in the study, mainly with applications aimed at antitumor and antibacterial activity. Therefore, the importance of studies that aim to expand the knowledge of the properties of medicinal fungi is highlighted, providing effective results for various diseases, since their cultivation and development can positively generate equitable economic growth, with regional and national impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mycosystema is the property of Mycosystema Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The severity of COVID-19, lack of specific treatment, and controversies on the vaccine's efficacy demand the development of new drugs against SARS-CoV-2. Fungi produce various metabolites with diverse molecular structures that have emerged as promising antiviral drug candidates. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate medicinal fungi derived secondary metabolites as potential inhibitors of 3 different targets associated with viral entry (human TMPRSS2) and replication (main and papain-like protease) through molecular docking and dynamic simulation studies. Based on our findings, we identified Phelligridin E, Lepiotaprocerine G, and Inoscavin A as the potential blockers of SARS-CoV-2 main protease, papain-like protease, and human TMPRSS2, respectively. These compounds strongly interacted with their corresponding target, passed Lipinski Rule's and had acceptable ADMET properties. Drug-protein complexes showed good stability during MD simulation. Estimation of binding free energy using the MM-GBSA method validated the inhibitor potential of identified compounds. Taken together, we believe that further in vitro and in vivo investigations on our proposed molecules may contribute to expanding the therapeutic arsenal in our fight against COVID-19.

In this paper, we explored the interaction of factors which influenced the Cordyceps sinensis fermentation Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Wight et Arn, a Dai (a national minority of China) medicine, and the optimal fermentation conditions. The differences of C. sinensis metabolites in normal state (CN) and products of two-way liquid fermentation of C. sinensis and Marsdenia tenacissima (CM) and Marsdenia tenacissima (MT). The interactive effect of factors was analyzed and the best conditions are obtained through the box-behnken design (BBD) in response surface methodology (RSM). All metabolites were determined by ultra high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometer (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS), analyzed and identified by metabonomics technology. Results showed that the optimum fermentation conditions were the concentration of raw medicinal materials is 160 g/L, the fermentation time is 6 days, the inoculation volume is 9.5%, the rotating speed is 170 rpm. 197 metabolites were identified in both positive ion and negative ion. 119 metabolites were significantly different between CN and CM. 43 metabolites were significantly different between CM and MT. Differential metabolic pathways were enriched. In conclusion, this paper optimizes the bidirectional fermentation process of M. tenacissima and C. sinensis through response surface methodology, and analyzes the changes of components from the level of metabonomics, so as to provide reference for exploring medicinal fungi fermentation of traditional Chinese medicine.

In light of the powerful therapeutic features of Phellinus species and due to the absence of toxic compounds, our investigations were aimed at screening of the antioxidant profile of fortified yogurts with hot water extracts from Phellinus torulosus and Phellinus igniarius leveled to 10%, 5%, and 1% final fortification concentrations after acknowledging their superior bioactive content and radical scavenging capacities (59.77% and 56.73% of DPPH inhibition, respectively) versus cold water extracts (29.87% and 33.18% inhibition rates). Fortified samples signified dose‐dependent increases in their inhibition rates during the storage period, with significant differences between 10% fortifications on the 7 day of storage in favor of the samples fortified with P. torulosus. Explicitly, P. torulosus showed 16% higher DPPH and 62.5% higher LPO neutralizing activity than yogurt enriched with P. igniarius. However, prolonged refrigeration tended to equalize antioxidant profiles in both fortified yogurts. Total titratable acidity and pH levels of the fortified yogurts as most important parameters for consumer acceptance were unaltered during storage. Practical applications: It is a common scientific perception that bioactive compounds present in wild medicinal fungi are the main contributors for their in vitro antioxidant efficiency. On account of these attributes, Phellinus species have been exploited in Far East Asia as safe remedies for many disorders thus making them attractive fortifying ingredients; however, according to our knowledge these mushrooms have never been used as natural additives in beverages. Given the current popularity of yogurt consumption as seen from the global market profits, as well as experimental evidences of enhanced potency of extract in comparison with powder due to maximal bioavailability of antioxidants, it is our belief that this study will increase the interest in the manufacture of functional foods with extracts from wild mushrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural products (NPs) and their derivatives are a major contributor to modern medicine. Historically, microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi have been instrumental in generating drugs and lead compounds because of the ease of culturing and genetically manipulating them. However, the ever-increasing demand for novel drugs highlights the need to bioprospect previously unexplored taxa for their biosynthetic potential. Next-generation sequencing technologies have expanded the range of organisms that can be explored for their biosynthetic content, as these technologies can provide a glimpse of an organism’s entire biosynthetic landscape, without the need for cultivation. The entirety of biosynthetic genes can be compared to the genes of known function to identify the gene clusters potentially coding for novel products. In this study, we mine the genomes of nine lichen-forming fungal species of the genus Umbilicaria for biosynthetic genes, and categorize the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) as “associated product structurally known” or “associated product putatively novel”. Although lichen-forming fungi have been suggested to be a rich source of NPs, it is not known how their biosynthetic diversity compares to that of bacteria and non-lichenized fungi. We found that 25%–30% of biosynthetic genes are divergent as compared to the global database of BGCs, which comprises 1,200,000 characterized biosynthetic genes from plants, bacteria, and fungi. Out of 217 BGCs, 43 were highly divergant suggesting that they potentially encode structurally and functionally novel NPs. Clusters encoding the putatively novel metabolic diversity comprise polyketide synthases (30), non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (12), and terpenes (1). Our study emphasizes the utility of genomic data in bioprospecting microorganisms for their biosynthetic potential and in advancing the industrial application of unexplored taxa. We highlight the untapped structural metabolic diversity encoded in the lichenized fungal genomes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation identifying genes coding for NPs with potentially novel properties in lichenized fungi.

Ganoderma lucidum is an important medicinal fungus in Asian countries. Ganoderic acid (GA) is the major variety of bioactive and medicative components in G. lucidum. Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites is usually associated with cell differentiation and development. However, the mechanism underlying these phenomena remain unclear. Transcription factors play an essential regulatory role in the signal transduction pathway, owing to the fact that they represent the major link between signal transduction and expression of target genes. In the present study, we performed transcriptome and metabolome analyses to identify transcription factors involved in GA biosynthesis during development of G. lucidum. Transcriptome data revealed differentially expressed genes between mycelia and primordia, as well as between mycelia and the fruiting body. Results from gene ontology enrichment analysis and metabolome analyses suggested that GAs and flavonoids biosynthetic process significantly changed during fungal development. The analysis of predicted occurrences of DNA-binding domains revealed a set of 53 potential transcription factor families in G. lucidum. Notably, we found homeobox transcription factor and velvet family protein played important role in GA biosynthesis. Combined with previous studies, we provided a model diagram of transcription factors involved in GA biosynthesis during fruiting body formation. Collectively, these results are expected to enhance our understanding into the mechanisms underlying secondary metabolite biosynthesis and development in fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inonotus hispidus mushroom is a popular edible and medicinal mushroom with a long history of use. It is well known as a medicinal fungus with various health benefits for its significant anticancer and immunomodulatory activities. Over the last 60 years, secondary metabolites derived from I. hispidus and their biological activities have been discovered and investigated. Structurally, these compounds are mainly polyphenols and triterpenoids, which have anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and enzyme inhibitor activities. Here, the secondary metabolites derived from I. hispidus and their activities were systematically and comprehensively classified and summarized, and the biosynthetic pathway of stylylpyrones was deduced and analyzed further. This review contributes to our understanding of I. hispidus and will help with research into natural product chemistry, pharmacology, and the biosynthesis of I. hispidus metabolites. According to this review, I. hispidus could be a promising source of bioactive compounds for health promotion and the development of functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pandemics from various viruses make natural organisms face challenges over and over again. Therefore, new antiviral drugs urgently need to be found to solve this problem. However, drug research and development is a very difficult task, and finding new antiviral compounds is desirable. A range of medicinal fungi such as Ganoderma lucidum and Cordyceps sinensis are widely used all over the world, and they can enhance human immunity and direct anti-virus activities and other aspects to play an antiviral role. Medicinal fungi are used as foods or as food supplements. In this review, the species of medicinal fungi with antiviral activity in recent decades and the mechanism of antiviral components were reviewed from the perspectives of human, animal, and plant viruses to provide a comprehensive theory based on better clinical utilization of medicinal fungi as antiviral agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mycosystema is the property of Mycosystema Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Northwest A & F University - Natural Science Edition is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Northwest A&F University (Natural Science Edition) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Northwest A & F University - Natural Science Edition is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Northwest A&F University (Natural Science Edition) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ganoderma leucocontextum, a newly discovered species of Ganodermataceae in China, has diverse pharmacological activities. Ganoderma leucocontextum was widely cultivated in southwest China, but the systematic genetic study has been impeded by the lack of a reference genome. Herein, we present the first whole-genome assembly of G. leucocontextum based on the Illumina and Nanopore platform from high-quality DNA extracted from a monokaryon strain (DH-8). The generated genome was 50.05Mb in size with an N50 scaffold size of 3.06Mb, 78,206 coding sequences, and 13,390 putative genes. Genome completeness was assessed using the Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) tool, which identified 96.55% of the 280 Fungi BUSCO genes. Furthermore, differences in functional genes of secondary metabolites (terpenoids) were analyzed between G. leucocontextum and Ganoderma lucidum. Ganoderma leucocontextum has more genes related to terpenoids synthesis compared to G. lucidum, which may be one of the reasons why they exhibit different biological activities. This is the first genome assembly and annotation for G. leucocontextum, which would enrich the toolbox for biological and genetic studies in G. leucocontextum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a long‐standing need to fix the application of the name Sphaeria sinensis, basionym of the economically important Chinese caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis, at the molecular level. The fungus was described by Berkeley in 1843, and is now harvested in the Tibetan Plateau (including the Himalayas). This need arises because of the existence of putative later synonyms in need of confirmation, existence of multiple haplotypes, occurrence of diverged ITS paralogs, and need to be confident of the identity of commercially grown cultures of the asexual morph. Here we report the rediscovery of original material in a spirit collection originally held in the Natural History Museum London but now at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. There are also three undated collections under this name in the Kew Fungarium from Berkeley's herbarium, and another with the name of Reeves, who sent the material to the U.K., but which originated from Hooker's herbarium. There is no proof that any of these four dried collections were used by Berkeley when describing the species. The collection in the spirit jar and the published illustration are the only original materials, and that in the spirit jar is designated as lectotype here; the collection from Hooker's herbarium may be an isolectotype but it was not studied by Berkeley. As no DNA would have been recoverable from the spirit collection, we endeavoured to extract DNA from two of the dried collections. Routine DNA amplification did not yield any ITS fragments, so a metagenomic approach was used and the collection from Hooker's herbarium yielded an entire 3189 bp ITS sequence most similar to those of the haplotype that predominates in the major distributional area of the fungus. A rich modern collection from the core region of the fungus in China, with ample stromata of the fungus on the host, and the ITS sequence matching that obtained from the dried specimen from Hooker's herbarium, is designated as epitype to unequivocally fix the application of the name. Ex‐type living cultures from the epitype were obtained and are also being maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanghuangporus refers to a group of rare medicinal fungi with remarkable therapeutic properties. However, current knowledge on the bioactive ingredients and antioxidant activities of different species of this genus is limited. In this study, a total of 15 wild strains from 8 species of Sanghuangporus were selected as the experimental materials for identification of the bioactive components (polysaccharide, polyphenol, flavonoid, triterpenoid, and ascorbic acid) and antioxidant activities (scavenging activities against hydroxyl, superoxide, DPPH, and ABTS radicals; superoxide dismutase activity; and ferric reducing ability of plasma). Notably, individual strains contained different levels of various indicators, among which Sanghuangporus baumii Cui 3573, S. sanghuang Cui 14419 and Cui 14441, S. vaninii Dai 9061, and S. zonatus Dai 10841 displayed the strongest activities. The correlation analysis of bioactive ingredients and antioxidant activities revealed that the antioxidant capacity of Sanghuangporus is mainly associated with the contents of flavonoid and ascorbic acid, followed by polyphenol and triterpenoid, and finally, polysaccharide. Together, the results obtained from the comprehensive and systematic comparative analyses contribute further potential resources and critical guidance for the separation, purification, and further development and utilization of bioactive agents from wild Sanghuangporus species, as well as the optimization of their artificial cultivation conditions.

This article outlined the composition and species characteristics of Chinese materia medica(CMM) resources identified in the fourth national survey of CMM resources. The survey was conducted based on field investigations and office collation, adhering to the "four principles", which emphasized the existence of survey records, voucher specimens, actual photographs, and evidence of medicinal use, so as to summarize the species of CMM resources and ensure the scientific integrity and accuracy of the results. According to the results, China had a total of 18 817 CMM resources, including 15 321 medicinal plants, 826 medicinal fungi, 2 517 medicinal animals, and 153 medicinal minerals. Additionally, the fourth national survey of CMM resources also conducted specialized investigations on 3 151 species of unique medicinal plants, 464 species of rare and endangered medicinal plants, and 196 new species in China. These latest statistics on these CMM resources will provide the most up-to-date foundational data for the protection, management, development, and utilization of these resources over an extended period, offering scientific guidance for the development of the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) industry.

Many fungi form persistent and dormant sclerotia with compact hardened mycelia during unfavorable circumstances. While most of these sclerotia are small in size, Wolfiporia cocos , a wood-decay fungus, grows into giant sclerotia, which are mainly composed of polysaccharides of linear (1→3)-β-D-glucans. To explore the underlying mechanism of converting sophisticated wood polysaccharides for biosynthesis of highly homogenized glucans in W. cocos , we sequenced and assembled the genome of a cultivated W. cocos strain (WCLT) in China. The 62-Mb haploid genome contains 44.2% repeat sequences, of which, 48.0% are transposable elements (TEs). Contrary to the genome of W. cocos from North America, WCLT has independently undergone a partial genome duplication (PGD) event. The large-scale TE insertion and PGD occurrence overlapped with an archeological Pleistocene stage of low oxygen and high temperature, and these stresses might have induced the differences in sclerotium due to geographical distribution. The wood decomposition enzymes, as well as sclerotium-regulator kinases, aquaporins, and highly expanded gene families such as NAD-related families, together with actively expressed 1,3-β-glucan synthase for sclerotium polysaccharides, all have contributed to the sclerotium formation and expansion. This study shall inspire further exploration on how fungi convert wood into simple glucans in the sclerotium of W. cocos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inonotus obliquus is a parasite on the birch and other trees and is also a well-known medicinal mushroom. Its sterile conk is highly sought for its bioactive compounds such as phenols, polysaccharides, triterpenoids, and steroids. It was traditionally used to treat various gastrointestinal diseases, viral and parasitic infections, to counteract the progression of cancers, and to stimulate the immune system. We used acute gamma irradiation, followed by short-term submerged cultivation, as an oxidative stress inducer to enhance the synthesis of mycelial metabolites. The 300 Gy and 400 Gy doses showed the best results across the whole experimental design. Each assayed criterion had a different corresponding optimal stimulation dose. In one experiment, sublethal doses of irradiation triggered the dry weight of the cultured mycelium to increase by 19.764%. The free radical scavenging potential of the mycelium extracts increased by 79.83%. The total phenolic content of mycelium extracts and culture broth increased by 55.7% and 62.987%, respectively. The total flavonoid and sinapinic acid content of the broth increased by 934.678% and 590.395%, respectively. As such, gamma irradiation pre-treatment of the mycelial inoculum proved an interesting, economically and environmentally effective tool for stimulating secondary metabolite synthesis in submerged mycelium cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many fungi form persistent and dormant sclerotia with compact hardened mycelia during unfavorable circumstances. While most of these sclerotia are small in size, Wolfiporia cocos, a wood-decay fungus, grows into giant sclerotia, which are mainly composed of polysaccharides of linear (1→3)-β-D-glucans. To explore the underlying mechanism of converting sophisticated wood polysaccharides for biosynthesis of highly homogenized glucans in W. cocos, we sequenced and assembled the genome of a cultivated W. cocos strain (WCLT) in China. The 62-Mb haploid genome contains 44.2% repeat sequences, of which, 48.0% are transposable elements (TEs). Contrary to the genome of W. cocos from North America, WCLT has independently undergone a partial genome duplication (PGD) event. The large-scale TE insertion and PGD occurrence overlapped with an archeological Pleistocene stage of low oxygen and high temperature, and these stresses might have induced the differences in sclerotium due to geographical distribution. The wood decomposition enzymes, as well as sclerotium-regulator kinases, aquaporins, and highly expanded gene families such as NAD-related families, together with actively expressed 1,3-β-glucan synthase for sclerotium polysaccharides, all have contributed to the sclerotium formation and expansion. This study shall inspire further exploration on how fungi convert wood into simple glucans in the sclerotium of W. cocos.

In times of health crisis, including the current COVID‐19 pandemic, the potential benefit of botanical drugs and supplements emerges as a focus of attention, although controversial efficacy claims are rightly a concern. Phytotherapy has an established role in everyday self‐care and health care, but, since botanical preparations contain many chemical constituents rather than single compounds, challenges arise in demonstrating efficacy and safety. However, there is ample traditional, empirical, and clinical evidence that botanicals can offer some protection and alleviation of disease symptoms as well as promoting general well‐being. Newly emerging viral infections, specifically COVID‐19, represent a unique challenge in their novelty and absence of established antiviral treatment or immunization. We discuss here the roles and limitations of phytotherapy in helping to prevent and address viral infections, especially regarding their effects on immune response. Botanicals with a documented immunomodulatory, immunostimulatory, and antiinflammatory effects include adaptogens, Boswellia spp., Curcuma longa, Echinacea spp., Glycyrrhiza spp., medicinal fungi, Pelargonium sidoides, salicylate‐yielding herbs, and Sambucus spp. We further provide a clinical perspective on applications and safety of these herbs in prevention, onset, progression, and convalescence from respiratory viral infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A 4-Coumarate-CoA ligases of G. lucidum was identified. • 4-CL positively regulated flavonoid and lignin synthesis in G. lucidum. • 4-CL positively regulated fruiting body formation. It is now understood that 4-Coumarate-CoA ligases (4-CL) are pivotal in bridging the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway and the lignin biosynthesis pathway in plants. However, limited information on 4-CL genes and their functions in fungi is available. In this study, we cloned the 4-CL gene (Gl21040) from Ganoderma lucidum , which spans 2178 bp and consists of 10 exons and 9 introns. We also developed RNA interference and overexpression vectors for Gl21040 to investigate its roles in G. lucidum. Our findings indicated that in the Gl21040 interference transformants, 4-CL enzyme activities decreased by 31 %-57 %, flavonoids contents decreased by 10 %–22 %, lignin contents decreased by 20 %-36 % compared to the wild-type (WT) strain. Conversely, in the Gl21040 overexpression transformants, 4-CL enzyme activity increased by 108 %-143 %, flavonoids contents increased by 8 %-37 %, lignin contents improved by 15 %-17 % compared to the WT strain. Furthermore, primordia formation was delayed by approximately 10 days in the Gl21040 -interferenced transformants but occurred 3 days earlier in the Gl21040 -overexpressed transformants compared to the WT strain. These results underscored the involvement of the Gl21040 gene in flavonoid synthesis, lignin synthesis, and fruiting body formation in G. lucidum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an effective technology, near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can be widely applied to analysis of active ingredients in medicinal fungi. Multiple regression methods are used to compute the relationship between spectral vectors and ingredient contents. In this paper, an autonomous feature extraction method by using attention based residual network (ABRN) to model original NIRS vectors is introduced. Attention module in ABRN is employed to enhance feature wave bands and to decay noise. Different from traditional NIRS analysis methods, ABRN does not require any preprocessing of artificial feature selections which rely on expert experience. The experiments test ABRN by analyzing original spectrums of medicinal fungi (Antrodia Camphorata and Matsutake), which are from 800 nm to 2500 nm, and predicting active ingredients within them. We compare ABRN with other popular NIRS analysis methods. The root mean square error of Antrodia Camphorata training set (RMSET) and validation set (RMSEV) are 0.0229 g·g-1 and 0.0349 g·g-1 for polysaccharide, and 0.0173 g·g-1 and 0.0189 g·g-1 for triterpene. The RMSET and RMSEV of Matsutake are 0.1343 g·g-1 and 0.2472 g·g-1 for polysaccharide, and 0.0328 g·g-1 and 0.0445 g·g-1 for ergosterol. The R2 (coefficient of determination) of these four ingredients are 0.711, 0.753, 0.847 and 0.807. The results indicate that ABRN has better performance in autonomously extracting feature wave bands from original NIRS vectors, which can decrease the loss of tiny feature peaks.

Inonotus hispidus mushroom is a popular edible and medicinal mushroom with a long history of use. It is well known as a medicinal fungus with various health benefits for its significant anticancer and immunomodulatory activities. Over the last 60 years, secondary metabolites derived from I. hispidus and their biological activities have been discovered and investigated. Structurally, these compounds are mainly polyphenols and triterpenoids, which have anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and enzyme inhibitor activities. Here, the secondary metabolites derived from I. hispidus and their activities were systematically and comprehensively classified and summarized, and the biosynthetic pathway of stylylpyrones was deduced and analyzed further. This review contributes to our understanding of I. hispidus and will help with research into natural product chemistry, pharmacology, and the biosynthesis of I. hispidus metabolites. According to this review, I. hispidus could be a promising source of bioactive compounds for health promotion and the development of functional foods.

Pandemics from various viruses make natural organisms face challenges over and over again. Therefore, new antiviral drugs urgently need to be found to solve this problem. However, drug research and development is a very difficult task, and finding new antiviral compounds is desirable. A range of medicinal fungi such as Ganoderma lucidum and Cordyceps sinensis are widely used all over the world, and they can enhance human immunity and direct anti-virus activities and other aspects to play an antiviral role. Medicinal fungi are used as foods or as food supplements. In this review, the species of medicinal fungi with antiviral activity in recent decades and the mechanism of antiviral components were reviewed from the perspectives of human, animal, and plant viruses to provide a comprehensive theory based on better clinical utilization of medicinal fungi as antiviral agents.

Submerged culturing of mycelium is an efficient technique used to increase biomass yields, more so when employed with naturally slow-growing species of mushrooms. This paper is concerned with optimizing nutrient broth components used in Inonotus obliquus cultures for achieving high biomass yields. We modeled the effect of seven biotechnological parameters (six broth ingredients and the initial pH of nutritive broth) on mycelial biomass and predicted an optimum broth formula using response surface methodology. An analysis of variance showed that the elaborated model is significant (F-value of 2.76 and p-value of 0.0316). We used bioreactor cultures to confirm the model's optimum prediction and to compare these results with a general-purpose mycology medium, namely potato dextrose broth (PDB). The optimized bioreactor culture yielded 4.37 g/L (93.36% of the dry weight prediction), while the PDB bioreactor culture yielded 2.084 g/L, after 15 days of cultivation. The optimized formula was: 2.15299 g malt extract, 3.99296 g yeast extract, 11.0041 g fructose, 17.4 g soluble starch, 0.1 g MgSO4, and 0.05 g CaCl2 per liter of broth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]