AUTHOR=Sun Xin , Yang Chunhui , Ma Yinpeng , Zhang Jiechi , Wang Lei 

TITLE=Research progress of Auricularia heimuer on cultivation physiology and molecular biology

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.1048249

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2022.1048249

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Auricularia heimuer</italic> (<italic>A. heimuer</italic> F. Wu, B. K. Cui, Y. C. Dai), a well-known gelatinous fungus used for both food and medicine, is a major edible fungus with a more than 1000-year history of cultivation in China. The nutrients of <italic>A. heimuer</italic> are abundant, including polysaccharides, melanin, mineral elements, etc. The <italic>A. heimue</italic>r polysaccharides exhibit antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anticancer properties. <italic>A. heimuer</italic> is a completely different species grown in China, unlike <italic>Auricularia auricula-judae</italic> (Bull.) Quel, which was used to characterize it. The cultivated strain varies based on the local climatic factors and cultivation practices. Hardwood chips are the primary material utilized in the cultivation of substitute materials, which is the principal cultivation technique. However, in actual production, straw is frequently replaced for some wood chips to address the issue of a lack of wood. There are three different types of growing techniques: open-air ground cultivation, arch cultivation, and shed-type hanging substitute cultivation of these three, the quality of <italic>A. heimuer</italic> grown in a shed is superior to that grown in an open-air environment. The <italic>A. heimue</italic>r genome sequencing project started later than expected, and the entire genome sequencing was not finished until 2019. <italic>A. heimuer</italic>’s molecular biology studies have mostly concentrated on analyzing genetic diversity and identifying cultivars using molecular markers including RAPD, ISSR, and ITS. There have only been a small number of studies on the function of <italic>A. heimuer</italic> genes, which have only focused on the preliminary cloning and expression study of a few genes, including the laccase gene and the triterpene compound production gene, among others. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive information concerning <italic>A. heimuer</italic>, necessitating a synopsis. To our knowledge, this is the first published review of <italic>A. heimuer</italic>, and it summarizes the most recent studies on its molecular biology and cultivation. This review can serve as a guide for future research on the fungus.</p>