Cloning, sequence analysis and transcriptional expression of a ras gene of the edible basidiomycete Lentinus edodes

In the edible basidiomycete, Lentinus edodes, the presence of a high level of intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) is closely related to the onset of fruiting and/or primordium formation. Since a close relationship between intracellular cAMP levels and expression of ras genes was reported for organisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Dictyostelium discoideum, we have cloned and sequences a ras gene homologue from L. edodes (Le.), and analyzed its expression during development of the fungus. This gene, named Le.ras, has a coding capacity of 217 amino acids (aa) interrupted by six small introns. The deduced Le.Ras protein exhibited the highest homology to the Schizosaccharomyces pombe RAS protein (219 aa): 86% homology in the N-terminal 80-aa sequence and 74% homology in the next 80 aa. The Le.ras gene was transcribed at similar levels during mycelial development in fruiting-body formation, suggesting no direct correlation of Le.ras expression with intracellular cAMP levels in this organism.     

Developmental regulator Le.CDC5 of the mushroom Lentinula edodes: analyses of its amount in each of the stages of fruiting-body formation and its distribution in parts of the fruiting bodies

Immunoblot analysis of Le.CDC5 (842 amino acid residues), the expressed product of the cDNA of Le.cdc5 gene that has been previously reported to be most actively transcribed in primordia and small immature fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete Lentinula edodes, showed that the primordia, immature fruiting bodies and mature fruiting bodies contain similar amounts of Le.CDC5 protein. This indicates that the Le.CDC5 protein molecules synthesized in the beginning and early stage of fruiting-body formation remains in mycelial tissues even after small immature fruiting bodies developed and matured. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that Le.CDC5 is present everywhere in the mycelial tissues of immature fruiting body, but prehymenophore, the border between pileus and stipe, and the bottom of stipe seem likely to contain larger amounts of Le.CDC5. Within the hymenophore of mature fruiting body, the hymenium (in/on which a large number of basidia and basidiospores are formed) contains the Le.CDC5 most exclusively.     

A cDNA homologue of Schizosaccharomyces pombe cdc5(+) from the mushroom Lentinula edodes: characterization of the cDNA and its expressed product

A cDNA homologue of Schizosaccharomyces pombe cdc5(+) was isolated from the basidiomycete mushroom Lentinula edodes and it was named Le.cdc5 cDNA. The deduced Le.CDC5 (842 amino acid residues) possessed N-terminal amino acid sequence highly homologous to those of S. pombe cdc5(+) gene product (Sp.cdc5p) and Sp.cdc5p-related proteins (SPCDC5RPs). The N-terminal 185 amino acid peptide of Le.CDC5 (Le.CDC5(1-185) peptide) produced in Escherichia coli was subjected to random binding-site selection analysis, revealing that Le.CDC5(1-185) peptide binds to a 7-bp sequence with the consensus sequence of 5'GCAATGT3' (complementary; 5'ACATTGC3'). Genomic binding-site (GBS) cloning by using Le.CDC5(1-185) peptide resulted in an isolation of the DNA fragment that contained three sets of 7-bp consensus-like sequence and TATA box. The Le.CDC5 protein contained two putative phosphorylation sites of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (A kinase) in its C-terminus. There exists a possible leucine zipper between the two phosphorylation sites. The Le.CDC5 fragment containing the two phosphorylation sites was actually phosphorylated by commercially available A kinase. Yeast two-hybrid analysis suggested the homodimerization of Le.CDC5 protein probably through the leucine zipper. Northern blot analysis showed that Le.cdc5 gene is most actively transcribed in primordia and small immature fruiting bodies of L. edodes, implying that Le.cdc5 may play a role in the beginning and early stage of fruiting-body formation.     

Analysis of mfbA alleles of the eubasidiomycete Lentinus edodes

A fruiting-body-specific mfbA cDNA derived from Lentinus edodes FMC2 has been shown to encode a high-molecular-weight protein, MFBA, containing the cell-adhesion-promoting Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence. Southern-blot analysis showed that all L. edodes strains tested have the mfbA gene (homologue). Nucleotide sequence analysis of the 1-kb mfbA fragments containing the RGD-coding sequence showed that each L. edodes strain has two types of mfbA homologues. It was found in FMC2 that two mfbA homologues are derived from different nuclei and these mfbA alleles are transcribed with similar frequencies in the fruiting bodies.     

Lectin activity of Lentinus edodes

The hemagglutinating activity of submerged mycelium and culture liquid for four strains of Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing [L. edodes (Berk.) Pegler] was studied in the search for lectins. The hemagglutinating activity of culture liquid was substantially higher, compared with mycelium. The carbohydrate-binding capacity of the agglutinins was established, and the lectin activity of extracts from mycelia grown on several agar media was elucidated in relation to fruiting. The lectin activity of L. edodes was examined at different morphogenetic steps: mycelium, brown mycelial film, primordium, and fruiting body. Hemagglutination titers at the brown film step were higher than in the mycelium, whereas activity at the primordial and fruiting bodies steps decreased. Lectins seem to be involved in the formation of hyphal aggregates of brown mycelial film.