Characterization of a Mycelial Pigment
Disciplines
Integrative Biology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
A strain of Ganoderma multipileum, a wood-decaying mushroom, was observed to produce red and yellow pigment on media when cultured in lab conditions. This is an unusual phenomenon for this organism, and seeing its potential applications, studies were conducted to characterize and understand the effects of substrate and temperature on the production of this pigment. A variety of nutritive lab-based media, as while as agricultural wastes were tested for their effect on the pigment production of this organism. Additionally, a range of temperatures were tested to determine their effect on the production of this pigment. We found that the pigment production benefitted from more nutritive lab media, but that agricultural waste such as cotton gin trash can also be used for the production of this pigment, which is of particular interest for commercial applications and upscaling. We also found that warmer temperatures did increase the pigment production rate to an upper limit, and that temperature did seem to impact some of the colors of pigment produced. Additionally, trials to extract and eventually purify the pigmented molecule are being conducted. This study is an early-stage exploration of a rare and uncharacterized phenomenon, with hopes of using it to produce food-safe and otherwise commercially useful and sustainably produced pigments.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
Department of Microbiology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Christopher Cornelison
Characterization of a Mycelial Pigment
A strain of Ganoderma multipileum, a wood-decaying mushroom, was observed to produce red and yellow pigment on media when cultured in lab conditions. This is an unusual phenomenon for this organism, and seeing its potential applications, studies were conducted to characterize and understand the effects of substrate and temperature on the production of this pigment. A variety of nutritive lab-based media, as while as agricultural wastes were tested for their effect on the pigment production of this organism. Additionally, a range of temperatures were tested to determine their effect on the production of this pigment. We found that the pigment production benefitted from more nutritive lab media, but that agricultural waste such as cotton gin trash can also be used for the production of this pigment, which is of particular interest for commercial applications and upscaling. We also found that warmer temperatures did increase the pigment production rate to an upper limit, and that temperature did seem to impact some of the colors of pigment produced. Additionally, trials to extract and eventually purify the pigmented molecule are being conducted. This study is an early-stage exploration of a rare and uncharacterized phenomenon, with hopes of using it to produce food-safe and otherwise commercially useful and sustainably produced pigments.