Mushrooms and Selenium: A Surprising Team

Mushrooms are not just tasty; they can also perform cool chemistry.

Selenium Absorption

Two types, Pleurotus ostreatus and Hericium coralloides, can absorb and transform selenium, a mineral found in soil. Scientists discovered that these mushrooms are 4 to 8 times more efficient at absorbing Se(IV) than Se(VI).

Transformation of Selenium

When these mushrooms absorb selenium, they convert it into different forms:

• Over 98.5% of Se(IV) is transformed into organic forms.
• Some Se(VI) remains unchanged.

The absorbed selenium is mostly found in:

• Water-soluble forms
• Polysaccharides
• Proteins

Unique Compounds

• In Pleurotus ostreatus, a significant amount of absorbed selenium is selenomethionine, a beneficial compound.
• In Hericium coralloides, selenomethionine is less abundant.

The water-soluble forms of selenium in these mushrooms include ten other metabolites, some of which have not been reported before. This suggests that mushrooms might have unique ways of processing selenium.

Health Implications

This discovery is fascinating because it shows that mushrooms can convert selenium into forms that might be beneficial for health. It also raises new questions about how mushrooms interact with minerals in their environment.