Unravelling the Transcriptional Response of Agaricus bisporus under Lecanicillium fungicola Infection

Abstract

Mushrooms are a nutritionally rich and sustainably-produced food with a growing global market. Agaricus bisporus accounts for 11% of the total world mushroom production and it is the dominant species cultivated in Europe. It faces threats from pathogens that cause important production losses, including the mycoparasite Lecanicillium fungicola, the causative agent of dry bubble disease. Through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), we determine the impact of L. fungicola infection on the transcription patterns of A. bisporus genes involved in key cellular processes. Notably, genes related to cell division, fruiting body development, and apoptosis exhibit dynamic transcriptional changes in response to infection. Furthermore, A. bisporus infected with L. fungicola were found to accumulate increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Interestingly, the transcription levels of genes involved in the production and scavenging mechanisms of ROS were also increased, suggesting the involvement of changes to ROS homeostasis in response to L. fungicola infection. These findings identify potential links between enhanced cell proliferation, impaired fruiting body development, and ROS-mediated defence strategies during the A. bisporus (host)–L. fungicola (pathogen) interaction, and offer avenues for innovative disease control strategies and improved understanding of fungal pathogenesis.