Abstract:

Lithium chloride was used to induce the mutation of Ganoderma lucidum protoplasts in order to obtain high-yield triterpenes-producing mutants. The results showed that the optimal mutation condition was treatment with 0.3% lithium chloride, resulting in 72.8% fatality rate. The first generation of the mutant obtained exhibited intra- and extracellular triterpenes yields of 55.33 mg/g and 14.88×10-2 mg/mL, higher than those of the original strain by 461.72% and 136.57%, respectively. In comparison with the original strain, the second and third generations exhibited increases by 483.05% and 496.04% in intracellular triterpenes yield and by 158.66% and 171.38% in extracellular triterpenes yield. Therefore, it can be concluded that the mutant induced by 0.3% lithium chloride is genetically stable.

Key words: Ganoderma lucidum, protoplasts, lithium chloride, mutagenesis, triterpenes