Morphological and molecular characterization of Mexican Hericium erinaceus strains

Hericium erinaceus is an edible and medicinal fungus recognized for its antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory properties. Despite its biological and biotechnological relevance, reports of this species in Mexico remain limited, with only one previous molecularly confirmed record from Durango state. Here, we present the second formal report of H. erinaceus in Mexico, based on four isolates obtained from different states and identified by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Molecular analysis confirmed their taxonomic identity as H. erinaceus. The strains are maintained in the Laboratory of Protein Structure-Function and Engineering collection as LEFIP-HE mycelial strains. To characterize their growth performance, mycelial radial growth rate (RGR) and colony morphology were evaluated across different culture media. Growth responses varied among isolates: LEFIP-HE 1 exhibited the highest RGR on potato dextrose agar (PDA), LEFIP-HE 2 and LEFIP-HE 4 on Maca yeast agar (MYA), LEFIP-HE 3 on Medium 17 agar (M17A), and LEFIP-HE 5 on Whole wheat flour agar (WWFA). Colony morphology also differed depending on medium composition, ranging from hyaline to white pigmentation and from sparse aerial growth to dense cottony mycelium. These findings confirm the presence of H. erinaceus in multiple regions of Mexico and demonstrate significant medium-dependent variation in mycelial physiology. This work provides a foundation for optimizing cultivation strategies and advancing future biotechnological applications of this species in the country.