A β-glucan synthase gene was isolated from the genomic DNA of polypore mushroom Sparassis crispa, which reportedly produces unusually high amount of soluble β-1,3-glucan (β-glucan). Sequencing and subsequent open reading frame analysis of the isolated gene revealed that the gene (5,502 bp) consisted of 10 exons separated by nine introns. The predicted mRNA encoded a β-glucan synthase protein, consisting of 1,576 amino acid residues. Comparison of the predicted protein sequence with multiple fungal β-glucan synthases estimated that the isolated gene contained a complete N-terminus but was lacking approximately 70 amino acid residues in the C-terminus. Fungal β-glucan synthases are integral membrane proteins, containing the two catalytic and two transmembrane domains. The lacking C-terminal part of S. crispa β-glucan synthase was estimated to include catalytically insignificant transmembrane α-helices and loops. Sequence analysis of 101 fungal β-glucan synthases, obtained from public databases, revealed that the β-glucan synthases with various fungal origins were categorized into corresponding fungal groups in the classification system. Interestingly, mushrooms belonging to the class Agaricomycetes were found to contain two distinct types (Type I and II) of β-glucan synthases with the type-specific sequence signatures in the loop regions. S. crispa β-glucan synthase in this study belonged to Type II family, meaning Type I β-glucan synthase is expected to be discovered in S. crispa. The high productivity of soluble β-glucan was not explained but detailed biochemical studies on the catalytic loop domain in the S. crispa β-glucan synthase will provide better explanations.
The effects of Cu(2+) on the activity and expression of laccase were investigated in seven different strains of Pycnoporus coccineus collected from different regions in Korea. Cu(2+) was toxic to mycelial growth at concentrations greater than 0.5 mM CuSO4 and showed complete growth inhibition at 1 mM in the liquid culture. However, Cu(2+) significantly upregulated the extracellular laccase activity at 0.2 mM in five strains of P. coccineus, IUM4209, IUM0032, IUM0450, IUM0470, and IUM4093, whereas two strains, IUM0253 and IUM0049, did not respond to Cu(2+), despite being closely related to the other five strains. Subsequent RT-PCR analysis also showed that the laccase mRNA was highly expressed only in the former five strains in the presence of Cu(2+). Taken together, these results indicate that Cu(2+) regulates expression of the laccase gene in a strain-dependent manner. The five strains commonly produced a single predominant laccase protein with a molecular weight of 68 kDa. Peptide sequencing revealed that the laccase was a homolog of Lcc1 of P. coccineus, which was isolated in China. The Cu(2+)-induced culture supernatants exhibited high degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, indicating that the 68-kDa laccase is the primary extracellular degradative enzyme in P. coccineus.
Chemical mutagenesis of basidiospores of Hypsizygus marmoreus generated new mushroom strains. The basidospores were treated with methanesulfonate methylester, an alkylating agent, to yield 400 mutant monokaryotic mycelia. Twenty fast-growing mycelia were selected and mated each other by hyphal fusion. Fifty out of the 190 matings were successful (mating rate of 26.3%), judged by the formation of clamp connections. The mutant dikaryons were cultivated to investigate their morphological and cultivation characteristics. Mutant strains No. 3 and No. 5 showed 10% and 6% increase in fruiting body production, respectively. Eight mutant strains showed delayed and reduced primordia formation, resulting in the reduced production yield with prolonged cultivation period. The number of the fruiting bodies of mutant No. 31, which displayed reduced primordial formation, was only 15, compared to the parental number of 65. Another interesting phenotype was a fruiting body with a flattened stipe and pileus. Dikaryons generated by mating with the mutant spore No. 14 produced flat fruiting bodies. Further molecular biological studies will provide details of the mechanism. This work shows that the chemical mutagenesis approach is highly utilizable in the development of mushroom strains as well as in the generation of resources for molecular genetic studies.
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