Isolation, characterization, and expression analysis of a class IV chitin synthase gene from the edible basidiomycetous mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus

We isolated and characterized the class IV chitin synthase gene (Pochs1) from the edible basidiomycetous mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis of the transcriptional expression pattern of Pochs1 in the course of fruit-body formation of P. ostreatus revealed that the transcriptional level of Pochs1 is higher in the stage of immature fruit body than in the stages of mycelia and mature fruit body. Furthermore, the transcriptional level of Pochs1 in mycelia was shown to have increased significantly by the temperature-downshift treatment, which is one of the important factors for inducing the onset of fruit-body formation of P. ostreatus.