Impacts and tolerance responses of Coprinus comatus and Pleurotus cornucopiae on cadmium contaminated soil.

Large amounts of cadmium (Cd) have been discharged into soil with the rapid development of industry. In this study, we revealed the impacts of Coprinus comatus (C. comatus) and Pleurotus cornucopiae (P. cornucopiae) on soil and the tolerance responses of macrofungi in the presence of Cd by the analysis of soil biochemical properties and macrofungi growth indexes. Results showed that with the cultivation of C. comatus and P. cornucopiae, the HOAc-extractable Cd in soil individually reduced by 9.53% and 11.35%, the activities of soil urease, acid phosphatase, dehydrogenase, and Fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis increased by 18.11-101.45%, 8.39-18.24%, 9.37-55.50% and 28.94-41.92%, respectively. Meanwhile, different soil bacterial communities were observed with various macrofungi cultivations. Also, Cd accumulation significantly enhanced the macrofungi antioxidant enzyme activities, which increased by 24.10-45.43%, 30.11-61.53% and 7.03-26.81% for catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the macrofungi, respectively. Moreover, the enhanced macrofungi endophytic bacterial diversities with Cd existence was firstly observed in the present experiment. These findings revealed the possible Cd resistance mechanisms in macrofungi, suggesting C. comatus and P. cornucopiae were promising ameliorators for Cd contaminated soil.

Reactive fungal wearable.

Smart wearables sense and process information from the user's body and environment and report results of their analysis as electrical signals. Conventional electronic sensors and controllers are commonly, sometimes augmented by recent advances in soft electronics. Organic electronics and bioelectronics, especially with living substrates, offer a great opportunity to incorporate parallel sensing and information processing capabilities of natural systems into future and emerging wearables. Nowadays fungi are emerging as a promising candidate to produce sustainable textiles to be used as ecofriendly biowearables. To assess the sensing potential of fungal wearables we undertook laboratory experiments on electrical response of a hemp fabric colonised by oyster fungi Pleurotus ostreatus to mechanical stretching and stimulation with attractants and repellents. We have shown that it is possible to discern a nature of stimuli from the fungi electrical responses. The results paved a way towards future design of intelligent sensing patches to be used in reactive fungal wearables.

Enhancement of exopolysaccharide production from Ganoderma lucidum using a novel submerged volatile co-culture system.

Based on the impact of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on secondary metabolite pathways, a novel submerged volatile co-culture system was constructed, and the effects of thirteen fungal and bacterial VOCs were investigated on Ganoderma lucidum exopolysaccharides production. The results demonstrated at least a 2.2-fold increase in exopolysaccharide (EPS) specific production yield in 6 days submerged volatile co-culture of G. lucidum with Pleurotus ostreatus. Therefore, P. ostreatus was selected as a variable culture, and the effects of agitation speed, inoculum size, initial pH, and co-culture volume on EPSs production were investigated using a Taguchi L9 orthogonal array. Finally, the highest concentration of EPSs (3.35 ± 0.22 g L-1) was obtained under optimized conditions; initial pH 5.0, inoculum size 10%, 150 rpm, and 3:1 volume ratio of variable culture to main culture.

Antimicrobial activity of the edible mushroom Pleurotus eryngii(DC. ) Quél grown in liquid medium

Edible mushrooms have a number of medicinal properties and this study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial activity of Pleurotus eryngiiDPUA1816 in metabolic broths after being grown in submerged cultivation. Mycelial fragments of pure P. eryngiiculture was inoculated in sweet potato culture medium and incubated at 150 rpm for 15 days at 25°C. Pleurotuseryngiiwas also cultivated for 18 days under the same conditions, the mycelial biomass was separated by filtration for quantification. The supernatant was used in the diffusion test in agar and performed against Escherichia coliCCCD-E005, Staphylococcus aureus CCCD-S009, Pseudomonas aeruginosaCCCD-P004, Candida albicansCCCD-CC001, Candida parapsilosis CCCD-CC004 and Candida tropicalisCCCD-CC002. The samples showed no inhibitory activity against bacteria, however they showed some activity againstC. albicans(12.17 mm), C. parapsilosis(27.67 mm) and C. tropicalis(13.67 mm). After being cultivated for 18 days, P. eryngiiwas able to inhibit all yeasts after 12 days of culture, with an inhibition halo of 29.33 mm at 16 days against C. parapsilosis. This study demonstrates the antifungal potential filtered liquids from P.eryngiicultivated in purple-skinned sweet potato culture medium, which suggests the possibility of the use of this species by the pharmaceutical industry as a natural source of biological action.

Interruption of an MSH4 homolog blocks meiosis in metaphase I and eliminates spore formation in Pleurotus ostreatus.

Pleurotus ostreatus, one of the most widely cultivated edible mushrooms, produces high numbers of spores causing severe respiratory health problems for people, clogging of filters and spoilage of produce. A non-sporulating commercial variety (SPOPPO) has been successfully introduced into the market in 2006. This variety was generated by introgression breeding of a natural mutation into a commercial variety. Our cytological studies revealed that meiosis in the natural and derived sporeless strains was blocked in metaphase I, apparently resulting in a loss of spore formation. The gene(s) underlying this phenotype were mapped to an 80 kb region strongly linked to sporelessness and identified by transformation of wild type genes of this region into a sporeless strain. Sporulation was restored by re-introduction of the DNA sequence encoding the P. ostreatus meiotic recombination gene MSH4 homolog (poMSH4). Subsequent molecular analysis showed that poMSH4 in the sporeless P. ostreatus was interrupted by a DNA fragment containing a region encoding a CxC5/CxC6 cysteine cluster associated with Copia-type retrotransposons. The block of meiosis in metaphase I by a poMSH4 null mutant suggests that this protein plays an essential role in both Class I and II crossovers in mushrooms, similar to animals (mice), but unlike in plants. MSH4 was previously shown to be a target for breeding of sporeless varieties in P. pulmonarius, and the null mutant of the MSH4 homolog of S. commune (scMSH4) confers an extremely low level of spore formation. We propose that MSH4 homologs are likely to be a breeding target for sporeless strains both within Pleurotus sp. and in other Agaricales.

Lactic acid accumulation under heat stress related to accelerated glycolysis and mitochondrial dysfunction inhibits the mycelial growth of Pleurotus ostreatus.

High temperature is a major threat to Pleurotus ostreatus cultivation. In this study, a potential mechanism by which P. ostreatus mycelia growth is inhibited under heat stress was explored. Lactate, as a microbial fermentation product, was found unexpectedly in the mycelia of P. ostreatus under heat stress, and the time-dependent accumulation and corresponding inhibitory effect of lactate on mycelial growth was further confirmed. The addition of a glycolysis inhibitor, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG), reduced the lactate content in mycelia and slightly restored mycelial growth under high-temperature conditions, which indicated the accumulation of lactate can be inhibited by glycolysis inhibition. Further data revealed mitochondrial dysfunction under high-temperature conditions, with evidence of decreased oxygen consumption and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS). The removal of ROS with ascorbic acid decreased the lactate content, and mycelial growth recovered to a certain extent, indicating lactate accumulation could be affected by the mitochondrial ROS. Moreover, metabolic data showed that glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle were enhanced. This study reported the accumulation of lactate in P. ostreatus mycelia under heat stress and the inhibitory effect of lactate on the growth of mycelia, which might provide further insights into the stress response mechanism of edible fungi. Key Points • Lactate can accumulate in Pleurotus ostreatus mycelia under heat stress and inhibit its growth. • The accumulation of lactate may be due to the acceleration of glycolysis and the dysfunction of mitochondria of P. ostreatus mycelia under high-temperature stress. • The glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle of P. ostreatus mycelia were accelerated under high-temperature stress.

Sensory cilia as the Achilles heel of nematodes when attacked by carnivorous mushrooms.

Fungal predatory behavior on nematodes has evolved independently in all major fungal lineages. The basidiomycete oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus is a carnivorous fungus that preys on nematodes to supplement its nitrogen intake under nutrient-limiting conditions. Its hyphae can paralyze nematodes within a few minutes of contact, but the mechanism had remained unclear. We demonstrate that the predator-prey relationship is highly conserved between multiple Pleurotus species and a diversity of nematodes. To further investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying rapid nematode paralysis, we conducted genetic screens in Caenorhabditis elegans and isolated mutants that became resistant to P. ostreatus We found that paralysis-resistant mutants all harbored loss-of-function mutations in genes required for ciliogenesis, demonstrating that the fungus induced paralysis via the cilia of nematode sensory neurons. Furthermore, we observed that P. ostreatus caused excess calcium influx and hypercontraction of the head and pharyngeal muscle cells, ultimately resulting in rapid necrosis of the entire nervous system and muscle cells throughout the entire organism. This cilia-dependent predatory mechanism is evolutionarily conserved in Pristionchus pacificus, a nematode species estimated to have diverged from C. elegans 280 to 430 million y ago. Thus, P. ostreatus exploits a nematode-killing mechanism that is distinct from widely used anthelmintic drugs such as ivermectin, levamisole, and aldicarb, representing a potential route for targeting parasitic nematodes in plants, animals, and humans.

Sustainable use of the spent mushroom substrate of Pleurotus florida for production of lignocellulolytic enzymes.

Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), a major byproduct of the mushroom industry, is a lignocellulosic biomass, which contains approximately 57-74.3% of holocellulose fraction. This study was aimed at utilizing SMS of Pleurotus florida for recovery of lignocellulolytic enzymes and sugars and also as a substrate for production of cellulolytic enzymes using different isolates of Trichoderma and Aspergillus under solid-state fermentation (SSF). SMS of P. florida extracts contained significant amounts of laccase (3,015.8 ± 29.5 U/g SMS) and xylanase (1,187.9 ± 12 U/g SMS) activity. Crystallinity pattern and chemical changes in SMS revealed that SMS had a lower crystallinity index (34.2%) as compared with the raw biomass (37.8%), which, in turn, helps in enhancing the accessibility of cellulolytic enzymes to holocellulose. Among the isolates, Trichoderma longibrachiatum A-01 showed maximum activity of endoglucanase (220.4 ± 5.9 U/mg), exoglucanase (78.5 ± 3.2 U/mg) and xylanase (1,550.4 ± 11.6 U/mg) while Aspergillus aculeatus C-08 showed maximum activity of cellobiase (113.9 ± 3.9 U/mg). Extraction with sodium citrate buffer (pH 4.8) showed maximum cellulolytic enzyme activity as compared with other solvents tested. Partial purification of endoglucanase, exoglucanase, xylanase, and cellobiase resulted in 56.3% (1,112.5 U/mg), 48.4% (212.5 U/mg), 44% (4,492.3 U/mg), and 62% (705.0 U/mg) yield with an increase by 5.2-, 4.5-, 4.1-, and 5.0-fold as compared with crude extract. The results reveal that SMS from P. florida could be a potential and cost-effective substrate for production of cellulolytic enzymes from T. longibrachiatum A-01 and A. aculeatus C-08.

Novel strategy to improve the colonizing ability of Irpex lacteus in non-sterile wheat straw for enhanced rumen and enzymatic digestibility.

Pretreatment with white rot fungi is a promising method to enhance the digestibility of lignocelluloses; however, sterilization of feedstocks prior to inoculation is one of the costliest steps. To improve the colonizing ability of white rot fungi under non-sterile condition, Irpex lacteus, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Phanerochaete chrysosporium were inoculated in the wheat straw ensiled for 28 days and incubated for 56 days to determine the changes in microbe counts, organic acid content, chemical composition, and rumen and enzymatic digestibility. Results showed that ensiling produced abundant organic acids and suppressed most microbes in wheat straw. Significant growth of I. lacteus was observed after 3 days of incubation, and molds were only detectable at day 7 in the group. At the end of incubation, aerobic bacteria and lactic acid bacteria decreased by 18% and 38% in the wheat straw treated with I. lacteus, but molds, aerobic bacteria, and lactic acid bacteria thrived in those treated with P. ostreatus and P. chrysosporium. Even more, P. ostreatus and P. chrysosporium increased the lignin content of the ensiled wheat straw by 34% and 65%. However, I. lacteus selectively degraded lignin by 28% and improved the rumen and enzymatic digestibility by 18% and 34%. The finding indicates that ensiling prior to fermentation with I. lacteus is an effective method to control spoilage microbes and to enhance the rumen and enzymatic digestibility of wheat straw.

Nitric Oxide Improves the Tolerance of Pleurotus ostreatus to Heat Stress by Inhibiting Mitochondrial Aconitase.

Pleurotus ostreatus is widely cultivated in China. However, its cultivation is strongly affected by seasonal temperature changes, especially the high temperatures of summer. Nitric oxide (NO) was previously reported to alleviate oxidative damage to mycelia by regulating trehalose. In this study, we found that NO alleviated oxidative damage to P. ostreatus mycelia by inhibiting the protein and gene expression of aconitase (ACO), and additional studies found that the overexpression and interference of aco could affect the content of citric acid (CA). Furthermore, the addition of exogenous CA can induce alternative oxidase (aox) gene expression under heat stress, reduce the content of H2O2 in mycelium, and consequently protect the mycelia under heat stress. An additional analysis focused on the function of the aox gene in the heat stress response of mycelia. The results show that the colony diameter of the aox overexpression (OE-aox) strains was significantly larger than that of the wild-type (WT) strain under heat stress (32°C). In addition, the mycelia of OE-aox strains showed significantly enhanced tolerance to H2O2 In conclusion, this study demonstrates that NO can affect CA accumulation by regulating aco gene and ACO protein expression and that CA can induce aox gene expression and thereby be a response to heat stress.IMPORTANCE Heat stress is one of the abiotic stresses that affect the growth and development of edible fungi. Our previous study found that exogenous NO had a protective effect on mycelia under heat stress. However, its regulatory mechanism had not been elucidated. In this study, we found that NO altered the respiratory pathway of mycelia under heat stress by regulating aco The results have enhanced our understanding of NO signaling pathways in P. ostreatus.

The main factors inducing postharvest lignification in king oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus eryngii): Wounding and ROS-mediated senescence.

This study was the first investigation into the main inducers of two lignifications by examining the changes of physicochemical properties and gene expression in king oyster mushrooms, under different conditions, during 21 days of storage. The results showed that the toughness, firmness and gumminess of the no-wounding treatment decreased to approximately 75-82.5% of the initial values, and the lignin content and expression of Pe4CL1 and Pe4CL3 decreased by 21-40% and 22-77%, respectively, in comparison to those of the other treatments in the first lignification. These findings indicated that wounding was the main factor inducing the first lignification. The second lignification of tested mushrooms was positively correlated with reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated senescence, accompanied by increased malondialdehyde (MDA) content, electrolyte leakage rate and mitochondrial dysfunction, which showed that ROS-mediated senescence played an essential role in the second lignification. This study is helpful for effective strategies to reduce lignification in stored mushrooms.

Chemical features and bioactivity of grain flours colonized by macrofungi as a strategy for nutritional enrichment.

Agaricus blazei, Auricularia fuscosuccinea and Pleurotus albidus mycelia were obtained in solid-state cultivation (SSC), using grains (brown rice, canjica corn and wheat) as raw material. Colonized grain flours were analysed for their nutritional, physical and physico-chemical characteristics and biological activity in vitro. Wheat flour with P. albidus showed higher values for protein (18.34 g/100 g), ergosterol (0.60 mg/g), mycelial biomass (183 mg/g) and total amino acids (58.34 mg/g). Corn flour with A. fuscosuccinea showed the highest total phenolic content (2.38 mg GAE/g), antioxidant activity in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (8.90 µmol TEAC/g) and 2,2'-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) (16.52 µmol TEAC/g) assay. Wheat flour with P. albidus were more effective at inhibiting of pancreatic lipase (74.5%) and of α-glucosidase (98.2%). In conclusion, grains colonized by macrofungi mycelia through SSC can enrich the nutritional value and the biological activity of the flours, which presents a potential for functional foods.

Umami taste and its association with energy status in harvested Pleurotus geesteranus stored at different temperatures.

Pleurotus geesteranus has recently been gaining popularity due to its strong umami taste. In the present study, umami taste, energy level, and energy metabolism-related enzymes activity in harvested P. geesteranus, stored at 20, 10, 5, and 0 °C, were investigated to evaluate the relationship between umami taste and energy status. Results showed that the mushroom at 5 °C exhibited significantly higher (p < 0.05) equivalent umami concentration (EUC), higher content of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and higher activity of succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) and cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) in late storage. AMP, associating umami taste with energy, presented a significantly positive correlation with EUC and umami determined by electronic tongue at 5 °C. Furthermore, there were better correlations between umami taste and energy status of mushroom at 5 °C. The results suggest that higher energy status of post-harvest P. geesteranus contributes to better umami taste.

Transcriptome analysis of differential gene expression in Dichomitus squalens during interspecific mycelial interactions and the potential link with laccase induction.

Interspecific mycelial interactions between white rot fungi are always accompanied by an increased production of laccase. In this study, the potential of the white rot fungus Dichomitus squalens to enhance laccase production during interactions with two other white rot fungi, Trametes versicolor or Pleurotus ostreatus, was assessed. To probe the mechanism of laccase induction and the role that laccase plays during combative interaction, we analyzed the differential gene expression profile of the laccase induction response to stressful conditions during fungal interaction. We further confirmed the expression patterns of 16 selected genes by qRT-PCR analysis. We noted that many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) encoded proteins that were involved in xenobiotic detoxification and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation or reduction, including aldo/keto reductase, glutathione S-transferases, cytochrome P450 enzymes, alcohol oxidases and dehydrogenase, manganese peroxidase and laccase. Furthermore, many DEG-encoded proteins were involved in antagonistic mechanisms of nutrient acquisition and antifungal properties, including glycoside hydrolase, glucanase, chitinase and terpenoid synthases. DEG analyses effectively revealed that laccase induction was likely caused by protective responses to oxidative stress and nutrient competition during interspecific fungal interactions.

Utilization of Pleurotus eryngii biosorbent as an environmental bioremedy for the decontamination of trace cadmium(II) ions from water system.

In many parts of the world, cadmium metal concentration in drinking water is higher than some international guideline values. To reduce its level below the safety limit, a sustainable and environmental friendly approach is crucial. Thereby, present article introduce an efficient, non-pathogenic and a novel fungal biosorbent Pleurotus eryngii for the removal of Cd(II) ions from aqueous system. The efficiency of P. eryngii were improved and optimized by investigating many significant factors such as; pH, biosorbent dose, initial Cd(II) ion concentration, temperature and contact time. Maximum Cd(II) ions removal (99.9%) was achieved at pH 5.0, biosorbent dosage 0.2 g/10 mL, concentration 20 mg L-1, time 10 min and temperature 50 °C. The isotherm and kinetic models revealed bioremediation of Cd(II) ions as monolayer coverage with biosorption capacity of 1.51 mg g-1 following pseudo second order reaction. Moreover, thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS° showed that the removal of Cd(II) ions is spontaneous and endothermic in nature. Batch elution process revealed that the complete elution of Cd(II) ions from the biomass were achieved using 0.1 N HNO3 solution. The sorption efficiency decreased from 99.99 to 56.89% as the biomass were recycled up to five times. The efficiency of Cd(II) ions removal from real water samples lies between 85 and 90%. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic (EDS) and atomic force microscopic (AFM) analysis of fungal biomass confirmed that the Cd(II) ions were the most abundant species on the biomass surface after the sorption process.

Mycelial Growth and Antimicrobial Activity of Pleurotus Species (Agaricomycetes).

The objective of this study was to analyze mycelial growth under different culture conditions and antimicrobial activity of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.: Fr.) Kumm. (DPUA 1533) and P. ostreatus (Jacq.: Fr.) Kumm. cv. Florida (DPUA 1534) against fungi and bacteria of medical importance. The growth of Pleurotus species was evaluated in natural and complex media, with and without light, at 25°C and 28°C for 8, 15, and 30 days. Candida albicans (DPUA 1336), Cryptococcus laurentii (DPUA 1501), Aspergillus flavus (DPUA 1836), Escherichia coli (DAUPE 224), and Mycobacterium smegmatis (ATCC 607) were used to test antibiosis. Under all growth conditions in vitro, Pleurotus species evidenced growth and high density of mycelia on potato dextrose agar and Sabouraud agar with yeast extract; mycelial growth but lesser mycelial density was observed on rice bran extract agar. Organic mycelial extracts of Pleurotus species exhibited potential antibacterial and antifungal activity, and were selective for the tested microorganisms.

On spiking behaviour of oyster fungi Pleurotus djamor.

We recorded extra-cellular electrical potential of fruit bodies of oyster fungi Pleurotus djamor. We demonstrated that the fungi generate action potential like impulses of electrical potential. Trains of the spikes are observed. Two types of spiking activity are uncovered: high-frequency (period 2.6 min) and low-frequency (period 14 min); transitions between modes of spiking are illustrated. An electrical response of fruit bodies to short (5 sec) and long (60 sec) thermal stimulation with open flame is analysed in details. We show that non-stimulated fruit bodies of a cluster react to the thermal stimulation, with a single action-potential like spike, faster than the stimulated fruit body does.

Effect of Fungal Species on the Development and Reproductive Traits of the Fungal-Feeding Mite Rhizoglyphus robini (Astigmata: Acaridae).

The bulb mite, Rhizoglyphus robini (Claparède; Astigmata: Acaridae), is a cosmopolitan pest with a broad host range, including commercially grown edible fungi in China. In this study, we recorded the development and reproductive traits of the bulb mite reared on four mushroom species: Agaricus bisporus Lange, Pleurotus ostreatus Kumm, Pleurotus pulmonarius (Fr.) Quél., and Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler at six constant temperatures ranging from 15 to 31°C and 80% RH. Developmental time for the immature stages was significantly affected by fungal species, ranging from 9.45 ± 1.83 d (reared on L. edodes at 31°C) to 26.39 ± 2.10 d (reared on A. bisporus at 15°C). Edible fungi species significantly affected intrinsic rates of natural increase (rm) at 31°C (varied from 0.23 to 0.28) as did the mite's net reproductive rates (R0) (103.78, 90.43, 70.77, and 97.45, respectively). Longevity, fecundity and female lifespan were dependent on host fungi.

A role for small secreted proteins (SSPs) in a saprophytic fungal lifestyle: Ligninolytic enzyme regulation in Pleurotus ostreatus.

Small secreted proteins (SSPs), along with lignocellulose degrading enzymes, are integral components of the secretome of Pleurotus ostreatus, a white rot fungus. In this study, we identified 3 genes (ssp1, 2 and 3) encoding proteins that are annotated as SSPs and that exhibited of ~4,500- fold expression, 24 hr following exposure to the toxic compound 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Homologues to genes encoding these SSPs are present in the genomes of other basidiomycete fungi, however the role of SSPs is not yet understood. SSPs, aryl-alcohol oxidases (AAO) and the intracellular aryl-alcohol dehydrogenases (AAD) were also produced after exposure to other aryl-alcohols, known substrates and inducers of AAOs, and during idiophase (after the onset of secondary metabolism). A knockdown strain of ssp1 exhibited reduced production of AAO-and AAD-encoding genes after HMF exposure. Conversely, a strain overexpressing ssp1 exhibited elevated expression of genes encoding AAOs and ADD, resulting in a 3-fold increase in enzymatic activity of AAOs, as well as increased expression and protein abundance of versatile peroxidase 1, which directly degrades lignin. We propose that in addition to symbionts and pathogens, SSPs also have roles in saprophytes and function in P. ostreatus as components of the ligninolytic system.

Production of mycelial biomass by the Amazonian edible mushroom Pleurotus albidus

ABSTRACT Edible mushroom species are considered as an adequate source of food in a healthy diet due to high content of protein, fiber, vitamins, and a variety of minerals. The representatives of Pleurotus genus are characterized by distinct gastronomic, nutritional, and medicinal properties among the edible mushrooms commercialized worldwide. In the present study, the growth of mycelial biomass of Pleurotus albidus cultivated in submerged fermentation was evaluated. Saccharose, fructose, and maltose were the three main carbon sources for mycelial biomass formation with corresponding yields of 7.28 g L−1, 7.07 g L−1, and 6.99 g L−1. Inorganic nitrogen sources did not stimulate growth and the optimal yield was significantly higher with yeast extract (7.98 g L−1). The factorial design used to evaluate the influence of saccharose and yeast extract concentration, agitation speed, and initial pH indicated that all variables significantly influenced the production of biomass, especially the concentration of saccharose. The greater amount of saccharose resulted in the production of significantly more biomass. The highest mycelial biomass production (9.81 g L−1) was reached in the medium formulated with 30.0 g L−1 saccharose, 2.5 g L−1 yeast extract, pH 7.0, and a speed of agitation at 180 rpm. Furthermore, P. albidus manifested different aspects of morphology and physiology under the growth conditions employed. Media composition affected mycelial biomass production indicating that the diversification of carbon sources promoted its improvement and can be used as food or supplement.