Transcriptomic analysis of Pleurotus ostreatus during its fruiting body development

Abstract

Fruiting bodies of mushrooms are the macroscopic structures with high complexity and are formed under tight genetic regulations. Pleurotus ostreatus is one of the most widely cultivated and consumed edible mushrooms in the world. Systematic research about its genetic mechanisms of fruiting bodies development is still lacking. In this study, transcriptome sequencing was performed with samples from three developmental stages including mycelium (MS), primordium (PS), and fruiting body (FS). A larger number of DEGs were identified from MS to PS than PS to FS, suggesting the more complex transition from MS to PS. KEGG pathway and GO enrichment analyses revealed that the primordium development mainly involves cell proliferation, differentiation, protein synthesis while the fruiting body formation from primordium might be related to the maturation of cell functions or stable state. Some notably fruiting-specific genes, such as hemolysin, alpha amylase, FAD linked oxidase etc., were also uncovered. The study also identified 79 DEGs encoding cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs) belonging to 13 CYP Clans, which have different developmental expression patterns, suggesting their specific roles in different developmental stages. Sixty-seven transcription factors were also identified from all the DEGs and were categorized into 12 families, among which Zn₂Cys₆, comprising 19 DEGs, was the most prevalent family. The expression profiles of Zn₂Cys₆ family across three developmental stages revealed their roles in different developmental stages. These results provide valuable genetic information for understanding the complex fruiting process of P. ostreatus, and lay the foundation for further researches on gene function and genetic assisted breeding.