Strain-typing of Lentinula edodes in China with inter simple sequence repeat markers

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Plant Genetics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Lentinula edodes (shiitake mushroom) is a globally important cultivated edible fungus.
• Accurate strain typing is crucial for breeding programs and commercial cultivation.
• Traditional methods for strain differentiation can be time-consuming and less precise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the efficacy of inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) analysis for strain typing in Lentinula edodes.
• To assess the genetic diversity among cultivated and wild Lentinula edodes strains.
• To classify Lentinula edodes strains based on their genetic profiles and temperature preferences.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 17 Lentinula edodes strains (15 cultivated, 2 wild) using the ISSR technique.
• Utilized two ISSR primers to amplify and analyze DNA fragments.
• Employed cluster analysis and similarity coefficient analysis to evaluate genetic relationships.

Main Results:

• A high percentage (96.9%) of polymorphic DNA products were detected, indicating significant genetic variation.
• The ISSR profiles generated by two primers were sufficient to differentiate all 17 tested strains.
• Cluster analysis classified the strains into two main groups, correlating with temperature-growth types (H/B vs. L/M).

Conclusions:

• ISSR analysis is a highly effective and polymorphic molecular marker for Lentinula edodes strain typing.
• Cultivated Lentinula edodes strains exhibit rich genetic diversity, distinct from wild strains.
• The genetic grouping aligns with known temperature-growth characteristics of the shiitake mushroom cultivars.