Investigation of practices and technologies for lion's mane production, an emerging medicinal mushroom for Canada

狮鬃（Hericum erinaceus）是一种可食用的蘑菇，在中国被广泛用于传统医药。在北美，人们对狮子鬃毛的关注相对较少。狮鬃菇提取物的治疗效果已经在动物模型和人类细胞系中进行了测试，积极的好处包括刺激神经生长因子的产生。狮鬃及其相关种的子实体和菌丝分别含有狮鬃烯酮和狮鬃碱，这两种物质都被认为是神经生长因子生物合成兴奋剂。为了可行地生产狮子鬃毛和其他药用担子菌，需要更多的信息来了解它们的种植如何受到生产相关因素的影响。人们普遍知道，培养基的类型会影响狮子鬃毛菌丝的生长动态，但对狮子毛发轮廓的影响知之甚少。我们的研究项目侧重于开发最佳实践和/或技术，以培养狮子鬃毛菌丝体以及其他猴头菌物种。我们将开发一种培养策略，结合最佳培养基类型和临时浸泡方案，在液体培养中培养高棘菌菌丝。此外，我们将探讨发光二极管照射菌丝体对黑头菌出菇效果和黑头菌烯含量的影响。我们将通过测试其对神经模型系统的影响来验证在最佳生产实践下培养的各种猴头菌物种的菌丝和子实体所制备的提取物的营养保健潜力。拟议的研究将为2名硕士学生提供独特的多学科研究培训机会，包括真菌学，分析化学，生物化学，电生理学，药理学和药物遗传学技能，这些技能在科学，营养保健和蘑菇科学领域有很高的需求。这项研究将为加拿大蘑菇种植者采用狮鬃蘑菇种植以及为加拿大蓬勃发展的营养保健部门开发产品提供准备使用的实践/技术。

Lion's mane (Hericum erinaceus) is an edible mushroom that is widely used in for traditional medicine in China. In North America, there has been relatively little focus on lion's mane. The therapeutic effects of lion's mane mushroom extracts have been tested in animal models and human cell lines, and positive benefits include stimulation of nerve growth factor production. The fruiting bodies and mycelia of lion's mane and related Hericium species respectively contain hericenones and erinacines, both of which are postulated as nerve growth factor biosynthesis stimulants. To feasibly produce lion's mane and other medicinal basidiomycetes more information is needed on how their cultivation is impacted by production-related factors. There is widespread knowledge that the type of culture media affects the growth dynamics of lion's mane mycelia, but not much is known about the impact on erinacine profiles. Our research project is focused on developing optimal practices and/or technologies for the cultivation of lion's mane mycelia as well as those of other Hericium species. We will develop a cultivation strategy that incorporates the best culture media type and temporary immersion regimen for cultivation of high erinacine mycelia in liquid culture. In addition, we will explore the impact of exposing mycelia to light emitting diodes on whether fruiting and hericenone content of Hericium mushrooms are improved relative to cultivation under darkness. We will verify the nutraceutical potential of extracts prepared from mycelia and fruiting bodies of various Hericium species cultivated under optimal production practices by testing their impact on neuronal model systems. The proposed research will provide unique training opportunities for 2 MSc students in multidisciplinary research, including mycology, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, electrophysiology, pharmacology and pharmacogenetic skills that are in high demand within the scientific, nutraceutical and mushroom science sectors. The research will provide ready to use practices/technologies for the adoption of lion's mane mushroom cultivation by Canadian mushroom growers as well as the development of products for the burgeoning nutraceutical sector in Canada.