Analysis of the carbohydrate binding specificity of the mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus lectin by surface plasmon resonance.

The sugar binding specificity of the mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus lectin (POL) was analyzed by surface plasmon resonance. The lectin was immobilized to a sensor chip, and asialo-bovine submaxillary mucin (asialo-BSM), one of the most potent inhibitors in the hemagglutination inhibition assay, tightly bound to the lectin. The binding specificity of various mono- or oligosaccharides to the lectin was evaluated by the coinjection method.

Growth promotion of mycelia of the Matsutake mushroom Tricholoma matsutake by D-isoleucine.

Mycelial growth of the Matsutake mushroom (Tricholama matsutake) was much slower than that of the other mushroom species. We found that the addition of D-isoleucine to the culture medium strikingly promoted mycelia growth. The other amino acids tested had no effect on this growth promotion.