Structural diversification and bioactivity mapping of mushroom pigments: From biosynthesis to industrial innovation

Mushrooms, as a significant source of natural pigments, synthesize diverse compounds through major metabolic pathways such as the shikimate, acetate-malonate, and mevalonate pathways. The coloration mechanism in mushrooms involves synergistic interactions between multiple pigments, dynamic regulation of metabolic networks, and environmental influences, such as light and temperature. In addition to imparting vibrant colors to mushrooms, these pigments exhibit various bioactive properties, including antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective effects, highlighting their potential for applications in drug development and as food additives. However, challenges such as low yield, poor photothermal stability, and high extraction costs hinder broader applications. Current strategies to overcome these bottlenecks focus on three key areas: developing high-yield strains through hybrid breeding, optimizing fermentation processes, and applying novel delivery systems to enhance both production and stability. Future efforts should build upon this foundation by fully integrating multi-omics technologies, metabolic engineering, and advanced downstream processing to enable commercial-scale pigment production.