The actual collection that has been cultured and subsequently sequenced. Photo credit: Christoffer Bugge Harder and Thomas Læssøe.

The genome of Mycena crocata was sequenced as part of the Mycenaceae sequencing project and the overarching JGI 1000 Fungal Genomes project “Deep Sequencing of Ecologically-relevant Dikarya“ (CSP 1974). This project will examine members of the Mycena genus to evaluate the genomic basis of their different nutritional modes.

The saffrondrop bonnet, Mycena crocata

M. crocata is a member of the Crocatae section of the Mycena family (Maas Geesteranus 1988). The collection for the sequenced culture was collected in Denmark (Sorø Storskov, W Zealand) the 28th of October 2015 on Fagus litter. M. crocata is found predominantly on leaves and debris of Fagus sylvatica, and occasionally though rarely on other types of hardwood debris.This species is easy to recognise with its orange exudate.

Pileus 5-25(-38) mm across, conical or campanulate to parabolical with a small papilla, pruinose, glabrescent, shallowly sulcate, little translucent-striate, dark red-brown at the centre, orange-brown to grey brown farther outwards, paler to grey or whitish towards the margin, stained with yellow-red to orange-red spots. Lamellae 15-25 reaching the stipe, ascending, narrowly adnate, white, stained with yellow-red to orange-red spots. Stipe 50-95 x 1-2(-4) mm, hollow, equal, straight to somewhat curved, firm, pruinose to minutely puberulous all over, more or less glabrescent, often remaining pruinose at the apex, glabrous below, shiny, pale yellow to orange yellow above, darker orange below, bright orange to reddish at the base, rooting; exuding safran-red juice when cut, the base densely covered with long, coarse, whitish to orange-yellow fibrils. Odour indistinctive.

We expect the genomic architecture of a relatively narrow specialist species to reveal a limited (contracted) set of genes related to degradation of a single species as substrate. Its close relatives, M. sanguinolenta and M. haematopus, have a much broader choice of substrates, where the former is a broad generalist on conifer and hardwood litter/debris, and the latter a hardwood generalist, and we hope to be able to trace the evolutionary history that is linked to this gradual specialisation.

This genome was derived from monokaryotic (haploid) pure culture on MEA agar with ampicilin and benomyl and should be free of xenobiotic contaminations. Researchers who wish to use data from unpublished Mycena genomes for publication are respectfully required to contact the PI and JGI to avoid potential conflicts on data use and coordinate other publications with the Mycena master paper(s).

References

Aronsen, A.; Læssøe, T.: The genus Mycena s.l. in The Fungi of Northern Europe, vol. 5. Copenhagen, 373 p (2016).

Maas Geesteranus, R. A. (1988): Conspectus of the Mycenas of the Northern Hemisphere. Proc. Kon. Ned. Akad. v. Wetensch. (Ser. C).

Robich, G: Mycena d'Europa vol. 2. Centro Studi Micologici. A.M.B, Trento, p. 733-1528 (2016)