蘑菇:四季皆宜的真菌

Mushrooms:Fungi For All Seasons

人类目前正面临着巨大的挑战,其中最大的挑战包括向全球80多亿人口提供充足的粮食,日益频繁的像新冠感染(COVID-19)这样的的病毒大流行,以及全球变暖和污染造成的不可挽回的地球环境恶化。而应用蘑菇生物学可部分解决这些挑战。蘑菇生物学是真菌学的一个分支,专门研究蘑菇真菌,由三个分支组成:蘑菇科学,描述与蘑菇栽培相关的活动;蘑菇生物技术,侧重于使用蘑菇和蘑菇衍生产品增进健康和福祉,预防和治疗疾病;蘑菇生物修复,涉及改善环境质量的特性。蘑菇既可以在大型工业规模的生产设施中培养,也可以在资本密集型操作不合适的情况下培养。在后一种情况下,作为“家庭手工业”的蘑菇生产可以丰富当地人口的饮食,特别是在蛋白质缺乏的地区,解决可耕地短缺的问题,特别是为妇女提供就业机会(从而提高她们的社会经济地位),还可作为经济作物为农民创造额外收入。蘑菇栽培过程中的持续技术改进和创新不断增加生产能力,提高产品质量,并在商业规模上扩大人工/半人工栽培的物种数量。蘑菇和蘑菇衍生产品(蘑菇营养药物)具有广泛的药用价值,包括抗肿瘤、抗癌、抗氧化、保肝、抗糖尿病、抗微生物、降低胆固醇、保护基因,以及预防动脉粥样硬化、心血管疾病、慢性炎症、自身免疫性疾病以及与神经退行性疾病相关的认知功能障碍。研究最广泛的蘑菇药理活性成分包括多糖(特别是β-葡聚糖)、多糖-蛋白复合物、三萜、凝集素和真菌免疫调节蛋白。蘑菇在农业也可用于天然生物控制剂、食品产业中的调味化合物和化妆品中的特性成分(药妆)。蘑菇转化栽培基质中木质素成分的生化系统也可用于降解污染我们环境的各种顽固的合成化合物(如合成染料、多环芳烃、多氯联苯、多溴联苯醚、杀虫剂和弹药)。在自然和人为管理的生态系统中,菌根菌对恢复和增强森林健康和多样性起着核心作用。菌根的共生通常在最极端的条件下达到最大,如在贫瘠的土壤、干旱或金属污染环境中。据报道,树木根部菌根真菌可保护树根免受几种根部病原真菌带来的有害影响。除了生态重要性外,黑块菌(黑松露)和松茸等菌根物种因其烹饪特性而备受重视。

Humankind is currently facing immense challenges,none more so than those undermining adequate food supplies for a global population in excess of eight billion,the increasing frequency of virus pandemics such as COVID-19,and irreparable deterioration of the planet’s environment resulting from global warming and pollution.One approach to the partial resolution of these challenges is through the application of Mushroom Biology,that branch of mycology which is specifically concerned with mushroom fungi and which is made up of three sub-branches.Mushroom Science,which describes activities specifically associated with mushroom cultivation:Mushroom Biotechnology,which is focused on the use of mushrooms and mushroom-derived products in enhancing general health and well-being,and in the prevention and treatment of human disease,and Mushroom Biorestoration which is concerned with those features that can be used to improve the quality of the environment.Mushrooms can be cultivated in large,industrial-scale production facilities as well as in situations where capital-intensive operations are inappropriate.In the latter case,mushroom production as a“cottage industry”can enrich the diet of the local population,especially in areas of protein deficiency,address shortages of arable land,provide employment particularly for women(thereby raising their socio-economic status),and generate additional income for farmers in the form of a cash crop.Technical improvements and innovations in mushroom cultivation continue to increase production capacities,improve product quality,and extend the number of species under artificial/semi-artificial cultivation on a commercial-scale.Mushrooms and mushroom-derived products(mushroom nutriceuticals)have also been credited with a wide range of therapeutic properties.These include antitumor,anti-cancer,antioxidant,hepatoprotective,anti-diabetic,anti-microbial,cholesterol-lowering and genoprotective activities.Other species are reported to pr otect against atherosclerosis,cardiovascular,chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases,and cognitive dysfunctions associated with neurodegenerative conditions.Among the most extensively studied pharmacologically-active components of mushrooms are polysaccharides(in particular beta-glucans),polysaccharide-protein complexes,triterpenes,lectins,and fungal immunomodulatory proteins.Mushrooms are also a source of natural bio-control agents for agricultural use,flavour compounds used in the food service industry,and components with cosmetic properties(cosmeceuticals).Biochemical systems used by mushrooms to convert the lignin component of cultivation systems can also degrade a wide range of recalcitrant anthropogenic compounds(e.g.,synthetic dyes,polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,polychlorinated biphenyls,polybrominated diphenyl ethers,pesticides and munitions)that pollute our environment.Mycorrhizal mushroom species play a central role in the restoration and enhancement of forest health and diversity in natural and managed ecosystems.Mycorrhizal symbioses are often greatest under the most extreme conditions such as those involving exposure to infertile soils,drought or metal contamination.The presence of ECM fungi on the roots of trees is reported to confer protection against the harmful effects of several root pathogenic fungi.Mycorrhizal species that are highly valued for their culinary properties,such as Tuber melanosporum(black truffle)and Tricholoma matsutake(matsutake)adds to their ecological importance.