Glutathione Reductase Affects Hyphal Growth and Fruiting Body Development by Regulating Intracellular ROS Levels in Hypsizygus marmoreus

Glutathione reductase (GR) is essential for maintaining cellular redox homeostasis by sustaining reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. In Hypsizygus marmoreus, GR silencing led to impaired mycelial growth, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and disrupted antioxidant enzyme activity, ultimately hindering fruiting body development. Mitochondrial size was markedly reduced in GR-silenced strains, indicating compromised cellular metabolism. Supplementation with the reducing agent vitamin C (Vc) partially restored redox balance and enzyme activity in a developmental stage–dependent manner, alleviating the defects caused by GR suppression. Moreover, GR was found to influence lignocellulose-degrading enzyme activity, further linking redox regulation to substrate utilization. Overall, these findings demonstrate that GR plays a central role in coordinating redox balance, energy metabolism, and enzyme function in H. marmoreus, providing new insights for enhancing industrial mushroom production through antioxidant regulation.