DNA-based geographic typing of the gourmet mushroom Tricholoma matsutake traded in China

Abstract

Tricholoma matsutake is among the most valuable mushrooms in the world, and natural populations of this species from different geographic regions are priced very differently. To examine the geographic origins of 'matsutake' mushrooms traded in China, we analyzed the mushrooms from two major production and trading regions in China, the Southwest and the Northeast, using a recently published retroelement-based DNA marker. Our analyses showed that 67% of commercial matsutake claimed to be from the northeast were in fact genetically identical to those from the southwest but were different from authentic northeast samples. The finding suggests that caution should be applied to the authentication of commercial matsutake from northeast China.

Biogeography of the Japanese Gourmet Fungus, Tricholoma matsutake: A Review of the Distribution and Functional Ecology of Matsutake

“…In the analysis of Asian T. matsutake, Murata et al (2008) examined retrotransposon regions in the genome and distinguished local populations of T. matsutake in Japan, North Korea, South Korea, northeast China, and southwest China through Bhutan. In particular, populations at the foot of the Tibetan Plateau and elsewhere in the Far East were highly distinct (Murata et al 2008;Xu et al 2010). This suggests isolation and diversification of T. matsutake populations during the last ice age (Ray and Adams 2001).…”

Prediction of the potential geographic distribution of the ectomycorrhizal mushroom Tricholoma matsutake under multiple climate change scenarios

“…In China, suitable habitats for T. matsutake are mainly located in Yunnan Province, Sichuan Province, the Tibet Autonomous Region, Guizhou Province, Heilongjiang Province and Jilin Province. Due to its medicinal effects and attractive flavor, T. matsutake is one of the most economically important ectomycorrhizal mushrooms in Asia, particularly in China1719. Modern pharmacology has confirmed that the polysaccharides and terpenoids extracted from the fruiting body of T. matsutake have antitumor and antioxidant properties2021.…”

Exploring the Species Diversity of Edible Mushrooms in Yunnan, Southwestern China, by DNA Barcoding

“…The multi-copy nature, obvious gaps in sequence identity between many closely related species, and the availability of conserved primers flanking the ITS regions makes ITSs one of the most frequently used barcode markers in the field [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 ]. Up to now, however, the large-scale ITS sequence approach has not been used widely for identifying edible mushrooms, except in a few species and their allies [ 42 ], e.g., truffles [ 43 ], morels [ 44 ], matsutakes [ 45 , 46 ], oyster mushrooms [ 47 ], boletes [ 48 ], and lethal Amanita spp. [ 49 , 50 ].…”