Abstract
The economically important edible basidiomycete mushroom Agaricus bisporus thrives on
decaying plant material in forests and grasslands of North America and Europe. It degrades forest
litter and contributes to global carbon recycling, depolymerizing (hemi-)cellulose and lignin in plant
biomass. Relatively little is known about how A. bisporus degrades compost in the controlled
environment in commercial production facilities and utilizes this substrate to produce mushrooms.
Using transcriptomics and proteomics linked to analysis of the compositional changes in the
compost, we showed that changes in plant biomass degradation by A. bisporus occur throughout its
life cycle. Lignin degradation appears to only occur during the spawning stage. In contrast, (hemi-
)cellulolytic genes were highly expressed at the first flush, whereas low expression was observed at
the second flush. The essential role for many highly expressed plant biomass degrading genes was
supported by exo-proteome analysis, demonstrating the presence of these enzymes during specific
stages. The out-of-phase enzyme production in the second flush may explain the reduction in the number of mushrooms during the second flush.
Combined with other data generated in our lab we have now generated the first detailed model of
the genes and enzymes involved in compost degradation and utilization by A. bisporus, which has
provided many leads for a better understanding and improvement of the commercial mushroom
cultivation.
decaying plant material in forests and grasslands of North America and Europe. It degrades forest
litter and contributes to global carbon recycling, depolymerizing (hemi-)cellulose and lignin in plant
biomass. Relatively little is known about how A. bisporus degrades compost in the controlled
environment in commercial production facilities and utilizes this substrate to produce mushrooms.
Using transcriptomics and proteomics linked to analysis of the compositional changes in the
compost, we showed that changes in plant biomass degradation by A. bisporus occur throughout its
life cycle. Lignin degradation appears to only occur during the spawning stage. In contrast, (hemi-
)cellulolytic genes were highly expressed at the first flush, whereas low expression was observed at
the second flush. The essential role for many highly expressed plant biomass degrading genes was
supported by exo-proteome analysis, demonstrating the presence of these enzymes during specific
stages. The out-of-phase enzyme production in the second flush may explain the reduction in the number of mushrooms during the second flush.
Combined with other data generated in our lab we have now generated the first detailed model of
the genes and enzymes involved in compost degradation and utilization by A. bisporus, which has
provided many leads for a better understanding and improvement of the commercial mushroom
cultivation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Mushroom Science XIX |
| Subtitle of host publication | Proceedings of the XIXth international congress on the science and cultivation of edible fungi, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 30 May-2 June 2016 |
| Editors | J.J.P. Baars, A.S.M. Sonnenberg |
| Publisher | International Society for Mushroom Science (ISMS) |
| Pages | 355-358 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9789090297712 |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 |