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Riparian environments are unique habitats highly susceptible to sudden flooding following heavy rainfall. In such conditions, the sterile in dimorphic fronds that remain aboveground for several months have adapted to thrive by developing linear and lanceolate laminae supported by robust yet flexible petioles. However, it remains unclear whether fertile fronds, which develop only for a short period of several days to weeks, exhibit similar adaptations. To address this question, we conducted morphological, anatomical, and mechanical analyses of the stipes of Osmunda lancea (Osmundaceae), which inhabits riversides, and its inland sister species O. japonica . Our results revealed that the stipes of O. lancea were more flexible than those of O. japonica , accompanied by a reduction in cell length within the sterome. Furthermore, the sterome of the stipe was found to be composed of thin-walled cells, enabling the formation of the stipe at a low carbon cost within a short period and facilitating spore dispersal.

Shiitake mushroom stipes, the main by-products during mushroom processing, were often abandoned as waste. For the full utilization of the stipes, the main nutrients, minerals, free amino acids, non-volatile and volatile compounds in the stipes of shiitake mushroom were investigated. Results showed that the stipes contained 82.94 g/kg fiber and 439.56 g/kg carbohydrate, which were significantly higher than that in caps, and calcium content in stipes (370.10 g/kg) was significant higher than that in caps. 18 amino acids and the ratio of essential and nonessential amino acids in stipes were more closely to model protein than those in caps, while taste amino acids contents and flavor 5ʹ-nucleotides in stipes were significantly lower than those in caps, and equivalent umami concentration in stipes was one-fifth of that in caps. In addition, the main volatile compounds showed no significant difference in both stipes and caps. Thus, the stipes were more nutritional than caps in the contents of fiber, carbohydrate and calcium, and could be used as dietary ingredients to enrich them for health benefit.

Mushroom-forming fungi in the order Agaricales represent an independent origin of bioluminescence in the tree of life; yet the diversity, evolutionary history, and timing of the origin of fungal luciferases remain elusive. We sequenced the genomes and transcriptomes of five bonnet mushroom species (Mycena spp.), a diverse lineage comprising the majority of bioluminescent fungi. Two species with haploid genome assemblies ∼150 Mb are among the largest in Agaricales, and we found that a variety of repeats between Mycena species were differentially mediated by DNA methylation. We show that bioluminescence evolved in the last common ancestor of mycenoid and the marasmioid clade of Agaricales and was maintained through at least 160 million years of evolution. Analyses of synteny across genomes of bioluminescent species resolved how the luciferase cluster was derived by duplication and translocation, frequently rearranged and lost in most Mycena species, but conserved in the Armillaria lineage. Luciferase cluster members were coexpressed across developmental stages, with the highest expression in fruiting body caps and stipes, suggesting fruiting-related adaptive functions. Our results contribute to understanding a de novo origin of bioluminescence and the corresponding gene cluster in a diverse group of enigmatic fungal species.

IntroductionIn the field of shiitake mushroom breeding, the difficulty and inaccuracy in measuring key stipe traits severely limit improvements in breeding efficiency and product quality. This study aims to address this technical challenge.MethodsA key trait detection method for mushroom stipes based on integrated image processing technology was proposed: 1) Developed the ACmix-ADown-YOLOv11n stipe detection model; 2) Input the detection bounding box into the EfficientSAM network for precise segmentation,then used OpenCV-based techniques to calculate 12 key phenotypic features; 3) Constructed the CoTAttention-YOLOv11n-Ghost-pose algorithm to predict the stipe centerline.ResultsThe ACmix-ADown-YOLOv11n model achieved an AP of 93.7% and a detection speed of 23.97 ms; the CoTAttention-YOLOv11n-Ghost-pose algorithm achieved an AP of 97.2%, a recall rate of 96.1%, and a detection speed of 22.09 ms. For different stipe length categories, the R² between predicted and actual values was 0.989 (extremely short, RMSE=0.030), 0.992 (short, RMSE=0.023), 0.989 (middle, RMSE=0.028), and 0.978 (long, RMSE=0.043).DiscussionExperimental results confirm the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed method. This study provides an efficient and accurate approach for detecting key stipe traits, offering significant support for advancing intelligent shiitake mushroom breeding and enhancing cultivation quality.

Foundation species elevate local biodiversity and underpin critical ecological processes and functions. Kelp species are distributed along ~25% of the world’s coastlines, where they serve as foundation species in intertidal and subtidal habitats. As well as ameliorating environmental conditions and producing organic matter, they provide biogenic habitat for a vast array of associated organisms. Here, we investigated patterns of diversity and structure in assemblages associated with the stipe of the kelp Laminaria hyperborea in the NE Atlantic. Stipes were sampled at 4 study regions (with 3 sites nested within each region) in the UK, spanning ~9° of latitude. Stipe-associated communities were highly diverse (134 species) and abundant (16−4532 ind. stipe−1), with no obvious sequential shift in diversity or overall trends in abundance/biomass of assemblages with latitude. However, we observed high degrees of variability between sites from the same region and individuals within sites, indicating that processes working across smaller spatial scales were more important than those at regional scales. While we observed high between-site variability in assemblage structure, regional differences were also evident. Most notably, sites within our southernmost region (southern England) were largely devoid of amphipods that dominated all other regions. This study highlights the important role of L. hyperborea in elevating biodiversity at local to regional scales through a facilitative interaction. Moreover, given that L. hyperborea forests may be increasingly impacted by ocean warming, changes in coastal water quality and proposed exploitation, our study serves as an important benchmark against which to detect future changes.

Pleurotus ostreatus is a global mushroom crop with nutritional and medicinal benefits. However, the genetic basis of several commercial traits remains unknown. To address this, we analyzed the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for two representative cultivars, \"Heuktari\" and \"Miso,\" with apparently distinct alleles. A genetic map with 11 linkage groups was constructed, in which 27 QTLs were assigned to 14 traits. The explained phenotypic variations in QTLs ranged from 7.8% to 22.0%. Relatively high LOD values of 6.190 and 5.485 were estimated for the pinheading period and the number of valid stipes, respectively. Some QTL-derived molecular markers showed potential enhancement rates of selection precision in inbred lines, especially for cap shape (50%) and cap thickness (30%). Candidate genes were inferred from the QTL regions and validated using qRT-PCR, particularly for the cysteine and glutathione pathway, in relation to cap yellowness. The molecular markers in this study are expected to facilitate the breeding of the Heuktari and Miso lines and provide probes to identify related genes in P . ostreatus .

Aim: In marine ecosystems, habitat-forming species (HFS) such as reef-building corals and canopy-forming macroalgae alter local environmental conditions and can promote biodiversity by providing biogenic living space for a vast array of associated organisms. We examined community-level impacts of observed climate-driven shifts in the relative abundances of two superficially similar HFS, the warm-water kelp Laminaria ochroleuca and the cool-water kelp Laminaria hyperborea. Location: Western English Channel, north-east Atlantic Methods: We compared algal and invertebrate assemblages associated with kelp stipes and holdfasts, across multiple sites and sampling events. Significant differences were recorded in the structure of assemblages between the host kelp species at each site and event. Results: Assemblages associated with stipes of the cool-water HFS were, on average, >12 times more diverse and supported >3600 times more biomass compared with the warm-water HFS. Holdfast assemblages also differed significantly between species, although to a lesser extent than those associated with stipes. Overall, assemblages associated with the warm-water HFS were markedly impoverished and comprised far fewer rare or unique taxa. Main conclusions: While previous research has shown how climate-driven loss of HFS can cause biodiversity loss, our study demonstrates that climate-driven substitutions of HFS can also lead to impoverished assemblages. The indirect effects of climate change remain poorly resolved, but shifts in the distributions and abundances of HFS may invoke widespread ecological change, especially in marine ecosystems where facilitative interactions are particularly strong.

Stropharia rugosoannulata is a well-renowned edible mushroom due to its nutritional and nutraceutical properties. This article focuses on the study of stipe cracking in S. rugosoannulata , a common issue in outdoor cultivation of this mushroom in South China. The findings reveal that the stipe cracks of S. rugosoannulata are primarily horizontal (transverse). Typically, cracks appear between the annulus and the middle part of the stipe prior to the opening of the pileus. Following the opening of the pileus, a fresh crack appears on the upper part of the stipe above the annulus. During the growth of S. rugosoannulata , two distinct elongation sections are observed in the stipe, separated by the annulus. The location of cracks coincides with these elongation sections, and the sequence of crack occurrences matches with the sequence of these elongation sections. The frequency of stipe cracking varies according to developmental stages and humidity conditions. The conclusion of this study is that S. rugosoannulata stipes crack during elongation and within elongation sections when humidity is low (≤ 60%), with the S3 developmental stage having the highest risk of cracking.

Rocky reefs and kelp forests form conspicuous habitats that promote species diversity and support livelihoods in coastal communities. However, taxonomic approaches often disregard biological identity and differences between species. In this study, we explore the relationship between functional diversity of fish communities and habitat complexity in temperate reefs and test if greater habitat complexity, such as rugosity or kelp three-dimensional structure, would result in higher functional diversity. We conducted fish surveys using SCUBA in four kelp forest sites and rocky reef sites. Although the rocky reef and kelp forest sites showed differences in habitat complexity, no significant differences in fish taxonomic or functional diversity were found between the two habitat types. However, we did find differences at smaller spatial scales for the kelp forest sites, where number of stipes, stipe bundle diameter, and kelp density influenced functional richness, but not species richness, highlighting the importance of functional approaches in certain ecosystems. The differences found among kelp forest sites may be linked with small-scale spatiotemporal oceanographic drivers of productivity such as upwelling exposure or nutrient availability. We recommend considering small-scale spatial drivers when aiming to understand how habitat characteristics link with functional diversity.