Edible mycelium bioengineered for enhanced nutritional value and sensory appeal using a new synthetic biology toolkit

Filamentous fungi are critical in the transition to a more sustainable food system. Genetic modification of these organisms has holds promise for enhancing the nutritional value, sensory appeal, and scalability of fungal foods, yet genetic tools for food-safe, edible strains remain limited. Here, we developed a synthetic biology toolkit for Aspergillus oryzae, an edible fungus traditionally used in fermented foods and currently used in protein production and meat alternatives.