Insights into the evolution and mechanisms of response to heat stress by whole genome sequencing and comparative proteomics analysis of the domesticated edible mushroom <i>Lepista sordida</i>

<i>Lepista sordida</i> is a valuable edible mushroom rich in natural bioactive compounds. In the present study, a high-quality whole-genome of a domesticated strain of <i>L. sordida</i> was sequenced, revealing a 40.67 Mb genome in 13 contigs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that <i>L. sordida</i> is evolutionarily closely related to edible mushroom <i>Lyophyllum decastes</i> and <i>Hypsizygus marmoreus</i>. Heat stress has a significant effect on the yield and quality of mushrooms, but the molecular basis for this is poorly understood in <i>L. sordida</i>. A label-free comparative proteomic analysis was performed under different heat stress conditions. The growth of <i>L. sordida</i> mycelia was inhibited, and nuclear apoptosis occurred under heat stress. Ca²⁺ and MAPK signaling pathways were found to be involved in heat stress signal transduction. It is hypothesized that the expression of various heat shock proteins plays a crucial role in the response to heat stress. In addition, the components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and the thioredoxin system were upregulated, preventing the accumulation of misfolded proteins and possibly supporting the response to heat stress. In summary, these results provide a fundamental insight into the evolution and heat stress-responsive mechanisms in <i>L. sordida</i> and may facilitate the breeding of heat-tolerant strains for artificial cultivation.