The Nearly Complete Genome of Grifola frondosa and Light-Induced Genes Screened Based on Transcriptomics Promote the Production of Triterpenoid Compounds

<i>Grifola frondosa</i>, commonly known as turkey tail, is a valuable fungus with medicinal and culinary uses, rich in bioactive compounds like triterpenoid polysaccharides that contribute to health benefits. Here, we constructed a nearly complete genome of <i>G. frondosa</i> CH1 using Illumina, PacBio HiFi, and Hi-C sequencing technologies, resulting in a 35.74 Mb genome with 12,526 protein-coding genes. The genome spans 12 chromosomes, all with intact telomeric structures and no gaps. The BUSCO completeness scores of 95.1% and 99.1% for the genome and genes, respectively, indicate high assembly quality and high completeness of gene prediction. Phylogenetic analysis showed a close relationship between <i>G. frondosa</i> CH1 and <i>Trametes cinnabarina</i>. Transcriptomic analysis under varying light conditions showed changes in the expression of genes, especially those related to terpenoid synthesis, with several CAZymes and CYP450 genes also exhibiting light-induced variations. Ten triterpenoid secondary metabolite gene clusters were identified, three of which were light-sensitive, indicating that light exposure regulates triterpenoid metabolism. This study provides valuable data supporting the high-quality genome of <i>G. frondosa</i> and offers new insights into the light-induced regulation of its metabolism.