Work

Deletion of the predicted β-(1,3)-glucan synthase gene bgs1 changes the cell wall composition and impacts growth and fruiting body formation of Schizophyllum commune

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: β-(1,3)-glucans are important for the integrity of the fungal cell wall and the interaction of fungi with the (a)biotic environment. For instance, the β-(1,3)(1,6)-glucan schizophyllan protects against thermal stress, starvation, and competition. Agaricomycetes like Schizophyllum commune have two β-(1,3)-glucan synthase (bgs) genes. Here, deletion constructs for the bgs1 and bgs2 genes were introduced in S. commune . A Δbgs2 strain was not obtained. Inactivation of bgs1 resulted in an approximately twofold lower production of water-soluble polysaccharide with FTIR characteristics consistent with schizophyllan. In addition, solid state NMR showed a relative 5-fold decrease in β-(1,3)-glucan / β-(1,3)(1,6)-glucan (schizophyllan) levels in the rigid part of the cell wall of the deletion strain, which was accompanied by a relative 3.3-fold and 2.7-fold increase in chitin and α-(1–3)-glucan, respectively. These changes in cell wall composition were accompanied by reduced growth, impaired fruiting body formation, and absence of spore production. Together, these data show for the first time the impact of a deletion of a β-(1,3)-glucan synthase gene in a mushroom-forming fungus on cell wall composition, growth, and fruiting body development.

Source: The Cell Surface

DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2026.100183