Advances in Mushroom Bioactive Metabolites

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fungal Cell Biology, Metabolism and Physiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 297

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Water Science Department, Tel-Hai College, Upper Galilee, Israel
2. Shamir Research Institute, University of Haifa, P.O.B. 97, Qatzrin, Israel
3. School of Environmental Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel
Interests: antimicrobial compounds; bioreactors; psilocybin mushrooms; mycelium; submerged fermentation; water treatment

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Guest Editor
1. Applied Mycology and Microbiology Department, MIGAL-Galilee Research Institute, Kiryat Shmona 11016, Israel
2. Department of Food Sciences, Tel Hai College, Upper Galilee 12210, Israel
Interests: applied and environmental mycology; edible mushroom ecology and biotechnology; fungal bioactive compounds; fungal biodegradation processes; fungal–bacterial interactions; fungal nutrition; forest soil mycology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to extend an invitation for contributions to a Special Issue in the Journal of Fungi titled “Advances in Mushroom Bioactive Metabolites”. This Special Issue will focus on the latest advancements in the exploration and application of bioactive compounds derived from mushrooms and mycelium. Mushrooms have long been recognized for their rich diversity of bioactive metabolites, many of which hold immense potential for industrial, medical, and environmental applications. As research continues to progress, these compounds show promise as sources of novel drugs, antimicrobial agents, and other valuable bioactive molecules.

Aim of the Special Issue:

The aim of this Special Issue is to explore the expanding field of mushroom bioactive metabolites, with a focus on mushroom and mycelium culturing, biomass extraction, characterization, and potential applications in various industries, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture. This Special Issue will also highlight advancements in experimental design techniques, optimizing the production and extraction of these compounds, and improving yield and bioavailability for future applications. Contributions should reflect both fundamental research and applied studies.

Original research articles and reviews are welcome for submission. We encourage submissions that cover a wide range of topics, from experimental approaches to applied research, with the goal of advancing our understanding of mushroom bioactive metabolites and their applications in both industry and medicine.

I look forward to receiving your contributions and to creating an impactful Special Issue that highlights the significant potential of mushroom-derived bioactive metabolites.

Sincerely,

Prof. Dr. Eyal Kurzbaum
Prof. Dr. Segula Masaphy
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bioactive compounds
  • psilocybin
  • biotechnology
  • mushrooms
  • antimicrobial compounds
  • fermentation
  • drug discovery
  • bioreactor
  • mycelium
  • volatiles
  • medicinal mushroom

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

26 pages, 2512 KB  
Article
Potential Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Effect of Polysaccharide Isolated from Digüeñe Cyttaria espinosae
by Claudia Pérez, Fabián A. Figueroa, Ignacio Tello, Roberto T. Abdala-Díaz, Manuel Marí-Beffa, Viviana Salazar-Vidal, José Becerra, Javiera Gavilán and Jorge Fuentealba
J. Fungi 2025, 11(9), 637; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11090637 - 29 Aug 2025
Viewed by 215
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a significant global health challenge, further exacerbated by the anticipated increase in prevalence in the coming years. The accumulation of β-amyloid peptide plays a critical role in the onset of AD; however, emerging evidence suggests that soluble oligomers of [...] Read more.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a significant global health challenge, further exacerbated by the anticipated increase in prevalence in the coming years. The accumulation of β-amyloid peptide plays a critical role in the onset of AD; however, emerging evidence suggests that soluble oligomers of β-amyloid may primarily drive the neuronal impairments associated with this condition. Additionally, neurodegenerative diseases like AD are linked to oxidative stress and reduced antioxidant capacity in the brain. Natural products, particularly polysaccharides extracted from mushrooms, have garnered interest due to their neuroprotective properties and the potential to enhance the value of natural sources in addressing human diseases. This study examines the antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of polysaccharides derived from Cyttaria espinosae Lloyd (CePs), a relatively underexplored fungus native to Chile. Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), we characterized CePs. We assessed their antioxidant capacity using DPPH and ABTS assays, yielding maximum inhibition rates of 32.14% and 19.10%, respectively, at a concentration of 10 mg mL−1. CePs showed no toxicity in zebrafish embryos and maintained high cell viability in PC-12 cells exposed to amyloid β peptide (Aβ). Our findings suggest that CePs exhibit significant antioxidant and neuroprotective properties against Aβ peptide toxicity while remaining non-toxic to zebrafish embryos. This underscores the potential of the polysaccharides from this mushroom to serve as functional foods that mitigate oxidative stress and warrant further investigation into their mechanisms in the context of the physiopathology of Alzheimer’s disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Mushroom Bioactive Metabolites)
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