Towards a molecular approach for the identification of fungal taxa that contain psilocybin

Morphological traits are unreliable for identifying psilocybin-producing mushrooms, especially when specimens are dried or pulverized. Molecular techniques, specifically RAPD and AFLP profiling, can provide genus- and species-level information. Twenty samples from the genera Psilocybe and Panaeolus were analyzed using two RAPD primer sets and five AFLP selective primer pairs. AFLP band patterns separated by PAGE and stained with silver nitrate offered a reliable species test. Sequencing of nuclear small subunit ribosomal DNA was also performed on the twenty samples. The findings suggest that molecular methods can overcome the limitations of classical taxonomy for these fungi.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The classical taxonomic methodologies for determining taxa of mushrooms are based primarily on morphological traits. If the mushroom specimens are dried or pulverized, the morphological characteristics are frequently disguised or no longer apparent. Included among these fungi are known to produce psilocybin, which are hard to identify by their macroscopic features. Molecular techniques could help to overcome these problems. In this study, twenty samples of two genera, Psilocybe and Panaeolus, of fungi from genera known to produce psilocybin were analyzed. The profiles of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) produced by two primer sets were analyzed. Fingerprints of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) produced by five selective primer pairs were also analyzed. By the analysis of genetic similarity, RAPD and AFLP method were capable of providing genus and species information. AFLP band patterns can provide reliable species test and can be separated in a simple way using PAGE electrophoresis and stained by silver nitrate. The sequencing data of twenty psilocybin-producing mushrooms were established by fluorescent sequencing method on the nuclear small subunit ribosomal DNA (nuc-ssu-rDNA) and the ... (continues)