Enhanced production of mycelial biomass and extracellular polysaccharides in caterpillar-shaped medicinal mushroom Cordyceps sinensis CS001 by the addition of palmitic acid

Abstract

To screen stimulators for cell growth and polysaccharides production of caterpillar-shaped Chinese medicinal mushroom, Cordyceps sinensis, the fungus was inoculated into the submerged culture media with and without supplementation of several fatty acids and ether extracts of Chinese medicinal insects. The results showed that palmitic acid at 1.0 g/l lead to significant increases in both biomass and extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) concentration (C) from 8.26 ± 0.34 to 11.10 ± 0.39 g/l and 353.1 ± 11.5 to 431.2 ± 13.8 mg/l, respectively. In addition, ether extract of medicinal insect, Eupolyphaga sinensis at 1.5 g/l was also of advantage to biomass and EPS production. There were no new components in the EPS obtained by the addition of palmitic acid.   Key words: Cordyceps sinensis, medicinal mushroom, extracellular polysaccharides, palmitic acid, submerged culture.