Abstract
True morels (Morchella spp.) are edible mushrooms that are commercially important worldwide due to their rich nutrition and unique appearance. In recent years, outdoor cultivation has been achieved and expanded on a large scale in China. However, the mechanisms of fruiting body development in morels are poorly understood. In this study, the role of mating-type genes in fruiting body development was researched. Fruiting bodies cultivated with different mating-type strains showed no difference in appearance, but the ascus and ascospores were slightly malformed in fruiting bodies obtained from the MAT1-1 strains. The transcript levels of mating-type genes and their target genes revealed that the regulatory mechanisms were conserved in ascomycetes fungi. The silencing of mat1-2-1 by RNA interference verified the direct regulatory effect of mat1-2-1 on its target genes at the asexual stage. When cultivated with the spawn of single mating-type strains of MAT1-1 or MAT1-2, only one corresponding mating-type gene was detected in the mycelial and conidial samples, but both mat1-1-1 and mat1-2-1 were detected in the samples of primordium, pileus, and stipe. An understanding of the mating-type genes’ role in fruiting body development in M. sextelata may help to understand the life cycle and facilitate artificial cultivation.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
