Edible and medicinal fungi are very rich in China. With the continuous deepening research on their species diversity and phylogeny, their species name and taxonomic status are continuously updated. Some species previously reported in China have found to be not existent in China. Some species have proved to be complex species or cryptic species. Previously, the edible and medicinal fungi in China were usually reported in the form of species checklist, and their taxonomic status and species composition were not clearly demonstrated. This article updates the checklist of edible and medicinal fungi in China in the form of species cataloging, with demonstration of their taxonomic status, based on the latest research results. A total of 1 495 species is recorded, belonging to 2 phyla, 10 classes, 29 orders, 115 families, and 353 genera. Among them, 1 013 species are edible, 744 medicinal and 262 simultaneously edible and medicinal. Of which, 33.1% of the species are previously unreported or taxonomically revised. It was found that edible fungi were dominated by species of Agaricales (44%), Russulales (16%) and Boletales (13%) of the Agaricomycetes, as well as Pezizales (6%) of the Pezizomycetes; medicinal fungi were dominated by species of Agaricales (35%), Polyporales (19%), Hymenochaetales (11%), Russulales (7%) and Boletales (7%) of the Agaricomycetes and Hypocreales (6%) of the Sordariomycetes.

Database/Dataset Profile

China is a large country in the production of edible fungi. In order to further enhance the industrial innovation ability, increasing the basic research on edible fungi is the key breakthrough point. In recent years, with the rapid development of biotechnology, omics-drive research on edible fungi has shifted from phenotype description to systematic mechanism analysis. The application of single omics technology has achieved extensive progress in the genetic basis, gene regulation, protein dynamics, metabolic pathways, and phenotypic analysis of edible fungi. However, the problems of one-sided and fragmented data of single omics can be addressed only through integrated analysis of multi-omics. Therefore, multi-omics technology has gradually become the core driver for the paradigm shift in research on genetic breeding of edible fungi. Although the current research still faces challenges such as data quality, functional verification, computing resources, and integration complexity, future researches should focus on innovations in underlying technologies, AI-driven approaches, cross-scale integration, the construction of resource platforms, etc. Continued promotion of deep integration and innovative application of multi-omics will facilitate high-quality development of the industry of edible fungi, thereby meeting the needs of food security and public health.

Phylogenetic relationships and the characteristics of CAZy extracellular degradative enzymes of edible and medicinal fungi, were analyzed based on annotated proteins from 14 strains of edible and medicinal fungi. By combining gene functions with substrate degradation capabilities, the degradation attributes of CAZy extracellular secretory enzymes in relation to substrates such as lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, chitin, and starch were inferred. The phylogenetic analysis results showed that truffles and morels belonging to the Ascomycota, clustered into one branch, while the remaining strains belonging to the Basidiomycota clustered into another, being consistent with the fungal classification framework and supporting their early evolutionary status. Analysis of extracellular CAZy degradation enzymes showed that the top three strains with the highest quantity of such enzymes were Auricularia subglabra, A. cornea, and Pleurotus ostreatus, whereas the bottom three were Tricholoma matsutake, Tuber borchii, and T. melanosporum. The arrangement of strains based on the quantity of lignocellulose-degrading enzymes from high to low was: Auricularia subglabra, A. cornea, Volvariella volvacea, Pleurotus ostreatu, Ganoderma sinense, G. leucocontextum, Agaricus bisporus, Flammulina filiformis ym5, Morchella sextelata, Flammulina filiformis wm14, Morchella conica, Tricholoma matsutake, Tuber borchii, and T. melanosporum. This study aims at providing preliminary reference for subsequent development of cultivation substrate formulations and ecological adaptability studies for these edible and medicinal fungi.

To evaluate the in vitro antifungal susceptibility of dermatophytes to nine antifungal agents, 153 dermatophyte strains deposited in the Dermatological and Mycological Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University between 2010 and 2023 were identified by using morphological and molecular biological methods. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of terbinafine, amorolfine, luliconazole, amphotericin B, ciclopirox, itraconazole, voriconazole, griseofulvin, and fluconazole were determined by the microdilution method. Nine species of dermatophytes were identified, including 59 strains of Trichophyton rubrum (39%), 17 strains of T. interdigitale (11%), 15 strains of T. mentagrophytes (10%), 9 strains of T. tonsurans (6%), 8 strains of T. verrucosum (5%), 9 strains of T. violaceum (6%), 3 strains of T. schoenleinii (2%), 19 strains of Microsporum canis (12%), and 14 strains of M. ferrugineum (9%). In vitro susceptibility test revealed that luliconazole exhibited the strongest antifungal activity, with MIC values ranging from 0.000 5 to 0.004 μg/mL. Terbinafine (MIC: 0.000 125-0.25 μg/mL) itraconazole (MIC: 0.004-1 μg/mL), voriconazole (MIC: 0.004-0.5 μg/mL), amorolfine (MIC: 0.004-1 μg/mL), and ciclopirox (MIC: 0.063-4 μg/mL) also showed potent activity. Griseofulvin (MIC: 0.016-32 μg/mL) and amphotericin B (MIC: 0.032-16 μg/mL) displayed relatively weak antifungal effects. Fluconazole showed the poorest activity, with MIC values ranging from 0.125 to 64 μg/mL; notably, two strains of Microsporum ferrugineum and one strain of Trichophyton violaceum exhibited fluconazole MICs >64 μg/mL. Among all tested antifungal agents, luliconazole and terbinafine demonstrated the strongest in vitro activity against dermatophytes, whereas fluconazole and amphotericin B showed the weakest efficacy, with the emergence of resistant isolates.

Buchwaldoboletus xylophilus is the second cultivatable species of Boletales with significant scientific and commercial potential value. To better develop and utilize this wild resource, the morphological and molecular identification and the biological characteristic investigation of a wild strain, JSJ-Bx1, were carried out. The results show that this wild strain belongs to B. xylophilus. The hyphae grow well under the temperature of 35℃ and pH 4.0 on the medium using glucose as carbon source, and yeast extract as nitrogen source with the addition of inorganic salt FeSO₄. The optimal medium formula consists of 20 g glucose, 2 g yeast extract, 1.5 g FeSO₄, 0.3 g 1/2 MS medium, 20 g agar, and 1 L water. The hypha growth rate is 11.38 mm/d. The optimal expanded cultivation substrate formula consists of 20% sawdust, 30% cottonseed hulls, 20% wheat grains, 10% corn flour, 10% red soil, 8% bran, 1% gypsum powder, 1% glucose, 0.1% KH₂SO₄, and 0.1% FeSO₄. The mycelial colonization period is about 20 days; primordial formation takes about 5 days, and the growth and maturation of the fruiting bodies takes about 7 days. The average yield is 96.64 g/bottle and the biological efficiency is 31.58%.

A distinctive medicinal fungus-insect complex formed by Ophiocordyceps gracilis on the larvae of Ahamus altaicola in the Altai Mountains of Xinjiang, China, has demonstrated considerable potential in immunomodulation, antioxidant, antitumor, and antibacterial activities due to its richness of bioactive compounds, such as nucleosides, polysaccharides, cordycepic acid, and amino acids. This review systematically summarizes the research progress on O. gracilis, covering its taxonomy and nomenclature, resource distribution and biological characteristics, chemical composition, pharmacological activities, and artificial cultivation. Key current challenges are proposed including evaluation of natural distribution and resources, pharmaceutical activities, artificial cultivation, and in vivo efficacy and clinical trials. Future research directions are proposed, emphasizing the need to enhance natural resource ecology and conservation, elucidation of the mechanisms of fungus-host interaction, and establishment of a multi-dimensional quality control system. This review aims at providing a scientific framework to guide the sustainable utilization and advanced development of this valuable medicinal resource.

Heart rot disease poses a severe threat to the health of Abies georgei var. smithii forests in southeastern Xizang. This study aimed at identifying the causal pathogen and screening highly antagonistic Trichoderma strains as well as evaluating their antifungal activity to provide potential biocontrol resources for managing this disease. The pathogen was identified through tissue isolation, morphology observation and molecular phylogenetic analysis. Antagonistic Trichoderma strains were initially screened using the dual-culture assay, and their inhibitory activity was further evaluated by assessing both volatile metabolites (via the two-sealed-base- plates method) and non-volatile metabolites (via the solid dilution method with sterile culture filtrates). Results indicated that the dominant pathogen infecting living A. georgei var. smithii trees was Fomitopsis subpinicola. In total, 36 Trichoderma strains were isolated, among which strain M28 exhibited the strongest inhibition in the dual-culture assay. Assessment of volatile metabolites revealed that Trichoderma afroharzianum M28 had the highest inhibitory effect, and T. atroviride M49 was in the next place. Tests with sterile culture filtrates demonstrated that filtrates of all seven selected Trichoderma strains inhibited the pathogen’s growth at different tested concentrations. The filtrate of T. atroviride M49 exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity at concentrations of 25% and 33%. This study confirms F. subpinicola as the causal agent of heartwood brown rot in A. georgei var. smithii in southeastern Xizang, and highly antagonistic Trichoderma strains M49 and M28 are excellent candidates of biological control agents.

Guizhou Province, located in the eastern Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, has complex topography and a warm, humid climate, providing high potential for fungal diversity. However, lignicolous macro-basidiomycetes in this region lacked systematic assessment for a long time. A comprehensive compilation of lignicolous macro-basidiomycetes in Guizhou was conducted based on specimen records of four investigation teams and recently published literature. A total of 738 species were recorded, belonging to 3 classes, 16 orders, 74 families, and 253 genera within Basidiomycota. The dominant class is Agaricomycetes, with the sum of species accounting for 97.15% of all known lignicolous macro-basidiomycetes species in Guizhou. The dominant orders are Polyporales, Agaricales, and Hymenochaetales, and the sum of species accounts for 81.44% (601 species) of all lignicolous macro-basidiomycetes in Guizhou. The ten dominant families include 391 species, accounting for 52.98% of total known species. The eleven dominant genera consist of 202 species, accounting for 27.37% of the total known species. Additionally, 48 species are described on the basis of holotype or paratype collected from Guizhou. This is the first province-level systematic overview of lignicolous macro-basidiomycetes in Guizhou Province.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a multifactorial malignancy closely linked to environmental risk factors. Ochratoxin A (OTA), a widely distributed mycotoxin, has been classified as a probable human carcinogen. This study systematically elucidates the molecular mechanisms underlying OTA-induced gastric carcinogenesis. For the first time, through an integrated approach combining network toxicology, machine learning, and Mendelian randomization analysis, four key pathogenic genes (ESR1, GSK3β, MET, and MMP2) were identified and validated. The research further clarifies how OTA disrupts hormone signaling, metabolic homeostasis, and the tumor immune microenvironment, thereby driving cancer development through multi-pathway synergy. Notably, GSK3β was genetically confirmed for the first time to have a causal relationship with gastric cancer. These gene markers play a central regulatory role in gastric carcinogenesis and demonstrate significant diagnostic potential, providing novel biomarkers and a theoretical foundation for risk prediction and targeted intervention in OTA-associated gastric cancer.

This study primarily investigates the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory components in the fermentation product of the endophytic fungus Alternaria alternata FL7 from Huperzia serrata. Using silica gel column chromatography, preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (preparative HPLC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS), 19 monomeric compounds were isolated and identified. These include mannitol (1), uracil (2), alternariol monomethyl ether (3), cerevisterol (4), 1-methyl 5-acetamidopentanoate (5), cyclo (L-Pro-L-Pro) (6), stigmasterol (7), xanthine (8), 2(3H)-benzothiazolethione (9), catechol (10), 1-methyl β-D-glucopyranoside (11), cycol (L-Pro-L-Tyr) (12), cycol (L-Pro-L-Val) (13), alteamide (14), (4S,5S)-5-[(S)-sec-butyl]-4-hydroxypyrrolidin-2-one (15), allahabadolactones A (16), Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (17), methyl 4-acetamidobutanoate (18) and 2-phenylethyl α-D-glucopyranoside (19). Compound 3 was found to exhibit moderate AChE inhibitory activity with an IC₅₀ value of (15.8±0.13) µmol/L, as determined using the modified Ellman method. Molecular docking simulations suggest that serine at position 122 of AChE may be its binding target. Additionally, compounds 5, 15, and 18 are reported as newly identified natural products, and the structure of compound 14 is revised. This study provides reference for the development and utilization of microbial resources from Huperzia serrata.